Failed Prophecy
by Unqualified Nuclear Physicist
Summary: In a lost world, survival is all that matters anymore. With the dragon race on the cusp of extinction and cheetahs all but a memory, sanctuary is the one thing that every survivor searches for. But in a lost world, sanctuary isn't exactly easy to find. AU
1. Comet

**Welcome to my second Fan-Fic: Failed prophecy. I think it's going to be awesome, but I'll leave final judgement to you.**

 **I hope you enjoy this story. I certainly enjoyed writing it.**

* * *

The world, the dragon realms and beyond, ended. With a deafening explosion that sent dust billowing across its surface, the planet shattered, cracks spreading across its once pristine surface, bubbling magma oozing out of the cracks like blood from open wounds. Without a doctor fast or skilled enough to mend the damage, the realms separated.

The agony of thousands of dragons, crying out in their death throes, and wailing to the Ancestors that the end was not upon them, could almost be heard from the vacuum of space. The planet's destruction continued unabated, ignorant to the pleas of the thousands of doomed beings upon it. Rock and stone peeled away from the planet like skin, exposing the magma, and coveted ores, now worthless, they previously concealed.

Hours ticked by, and the flow of planetoid debris began to slacken. Once a beautiful world of dragons, moles, and cheetahs, it was now merely a lone rock that was once the world's core, surrounded by its own personal asteroid belt. The belt would later become known as the Ring of Souls, but for now, it was no more than a marker for a mass grave.

A very, very big mass grave.

On a barren plane, a plane of harsh, unforgiving rock, the only kind to survive the destruction of a whole planet, lay a lone dragon. Had the dragon known what had just happened to his home, he might have thought it a curse, rather than blessing, that he was still alive. As it was, the poor dragon was still out cold, knocked out by the shock of being blasted into the cave roof above by an explosion that seemed to come from the core of the world itself.

That cave didn't exist anymore, but the rock he had smashed into certainly did.

Dark, scorch-blackened scales glimmered in the radiance of twin moons, a vista of multicoloured lights sparkling on the cold stone around him. The dark dragon's horns arched back from his skull, curving in such a way that they almost met at the tip.

With a groan the dragon, who couldn't have been any older than 14, raised his swollen head. Through bleary, piercing orange eyes, he scanned the world. Silently, he dropped his head again.

 _I'd like to wake up now._ He grumbled to himself.

Chanting that the world was in fact still in one piece, and not a shattered puzzle before him that he hadn't the slimmest hope of ever piecing back together, he opened his eyes again. Cold stone stared back, unyielding as ever.

The seeds of disbelief taking root, he tried to stand, tried to get a better view of this unreality around him, but found he was pinned down by something. He didn't have the will to look and see what.

Fear creeping into his thoughts, he began to tremble weakly. In a vain attempt to calm himself, he spoke to himself with calming words, the same kind his Dad always spoke. Maybe he could trick himself into thinking that it was his Dad speaking, and not himself? He squeezed his eyes shut.

 _Come on, Comet, pull yourself together! You're still in that cave, you're still tucked protectively under mum's wing, waiting for dad to come back. This can't be real!_

Firmly believing, without a doubt, that when his eyes once more opened, the world would be back the way he knew it ought to be, he began to chant those last four words to himself. His mantra. Raising his eyelids, he beheld the world once more… What was left of it.

The cold, harsh stone of the planetoid he was pinned to looked back, almost able to look bored at his disbelief despite having no real conscience.

 _No, no, no, no, no! This isn't real! This_ can't _be real!_

With a strength born of desperation, he wrenched himself from the ground; he felt something slide from his side. For a brief moment, he was certain he felt something wet on his flank. At least, if he really was stuck here, he had some water. Come to think of it, he was thirsty.

Comet spun round, eyes searching out the water that smeared his side. He saw a wet patch and stuck his head into it unceremoniously. Reeling back, he shook his head vigorously. There was something off about that water. His head began to pound.

 _Dehydration must be setting in! I have to get more to drink. And why, Ancestors, is my side so wet? It's getting wetter by the… Oh no._

His blood turned to ice, or, at least, he wished it had. At least then he wouldn't have liquid spilling from his side faster than he could ever hope to replenish it. Red, precious life poured from his chest, a clean, circular hole punching clean through his chest scales. It wasn't very deep, but very large, almost the size of a paw. If he was lucky, he might survive the next few minutes.

In his panic to survive, the devastated remnants of his home ceased to exist. Comet looked around, praying that there was something he could use to staunch the bleeding. He couldn't die now. He'd survived the destruction of the world, for Ancestor's sake, he wasn't about to die of a mere scratch.

 _If only it was just a scratch._

It took only a moment to search his entire asteroid, a small rock with nothing on it he could use. Dejectedly, he plopped down, gazing around at the floating pieces around him, hoping that maybe he might wake up. Find out that Spyro had defeated the Dark Master. That he'd just fallen asleep in his Mother's warm embrace and be woken to celebrations without equal.

Eventually, he realised, his hopes couldn't be true. The world was gone.

He was alone.

Alone on this tiny rock, left to bleed out and enter the void just like every other dragon before him. Just like his parents no doubt had.

To think his final words to his Father had been spiteful.

Comet slumped, exhaustion taking over his mind, and pulling him into the realms of sleep. Blood stopped pouring from his chest. The scales healed over.

Comet didn't wake up. Not yet.

* * *

A full day had passed. The world's glowing remains long since cooled, the last survivors long gone.

Except for one.

Comet, a lone dragon, stuck on his own personal asteroid in the middle of, what was now, nowhere. His slumber had allowed his mind time to catch up on events. The world had been destroyed. He had survived by a miracle, and now he was stuck on a tiny floating rock in space. No food, no water, no… air. That old cheetah had said something about there being no air in space. He had seemed smart enough to be right.

Comet panicked, flailing about and gasping for something that he now believed wasn't there. His heart pounded, straining to pump oxygen that didn't exist.

 _How was I breathing a moment ago? It isn't possible! That cheetah said so! Deep breaths… deep breaths… I can breathe. I_ can _breathe._

Slowly, his heart rate returned to normal. How he was breathing was beyond him, but he was doing it, so the dragon left it be. Invisible, impossible air was air, after all. A cheetah had told him about the lack of air in space. He hadn't believed them at the time; they had no proof, after all, and right now he was breathing just fine. Maybe the cheetah was wrong.

He must have been wrong.

Calmed, no longer worried about the requirement of breathing, his thoughts turned. Who had healed him? Had the Ancestors blessed him? Or was it just another curse, like his very survival. Spared, only to suffer another immeasurable day of solitude.

Sooner or later, he would have to move, Comet realised. The dark dragon needed food, he needed water and he needed shelter. With hope-filled eyes, he spun about, trying to find vegetation, life, remnants of a lost world.

There was nothing. He was alone, and he knew it.

 _I'm not going to get anywhere if I just sit here moping around. I have to move!_

With new strength, pulled up from deep in his gut, Comet rose unsteadily to shaking paws. The blood loss was taking its toll. He needed somewhere to recover, but he needed basic necessities more. They weren't called 'necessities' for nothing.

Opening his folded wings, he studied them carefully. There were no holes or tears, but he doubted they could help him. Supposedly, wings didn't work in space; even then he doubted he had the strength left to use them, despite the ease with which he once had. He had never been the strongest flyer, anyway. He had to wonder how they had tested wings in space. Maybe there was a dragon who could fly above the planet?

He had never flown that high before. Nor had anyone else he knew, though they had all heard the stories of dragons who had. Most of them fell, fell a very long way, frost clinging to their limbs. That's what the stories said, anyway.

Comet shook his head roughly. He had gotten lost in thought too long. If he could breathe up here, then he could fly too. In a world where all others died while he got to live, Ancestor-status, and the ability to do impossible things, was the least he deserved. Or so he thought.

He would breathe in space, he would survive the destruction of a planet, and he would fly in space. Maybe, one day, he would have the power to rebuild the world. His eyes glimmered as he imagined the possibilities.

With a single, powerful stroke of his wings, and a running leap, he took off into a void. Instead of falling though, he drifted. His beating wings did little to move him in any direction, and he drifted about lazily until he collided with something hard. Planting himself on the space flotsam, he propelled himself to a nearby rock.

A mischievous grin overtook his muzzle. He could bounce around on little rocks in space. The idea sounded like so much fun! More fun than he'd had in months. After being trapped underground while the battle for the world itself was waged, he longed for freedom. Here was his chance, served on a silver platter of gravity-free mischief. He could spend as long as he liked. There was no one to tell him it was too dangerous. No one to tell him it was time to go home.

And there was no longer a world he had to worry about keeping intact. There was no damage he could deal that hadn't already been dealt. His rock-bouncing lunacy could only harm him, but with the Ancestors watching over him, as they appeared to be doing, he had nothing to worry about. If they could heal his side, surely they could heal a broken bone or two.

Giddy with freedom, he leapt to and fro across the rocks. With a particularly powerful bound, he sent himself spinning, flying at breakneck pace towards a rock. His adrenaline raced. Inexistent wind rushed past his head.

When the rock approached, he allowed himself to collide with it at full force. The small lump shifted, started spinning, changing the direction he was facing. He locked onto another rock not far away, and made a leap for it. The spinning rock set him off course, but he didn't notice.

That, or he didn't care. There were so many rocks around, he was bound to hit one sooner or later.

A laugh, filled to the brim with joy flew from his muzzle. He was more free than he had ever been before!

It was a long moment before he realised his mistake. An eternity before he realised the carelessness of his actions.

By the time Comet realised what had happened, it was too late to stop his trajectory.

Comet was flying off into space, and there was nothing there to stop him. He could only watch helplessly as the rocky debris of his home faded into the inky twilight of space, lost forever more.

* * *

Maybe the name Comet held more significance than he previously believed. For here he was, a small black comet of scales and bone and pumping blood, flying through space faster than he would have liked at that moment.

Could his parents have known that this would happen? That he would find himself hurtling through space from a poorly judged jump? Or was this just a cruel twist of fate. Maybe it was his destiny?

 _It's a dream, not my destiny._ He told himself firmly. _This sort of thing happens in dreams._

But he didn't believe his own words. This was no dream. This was really happening.

And he was going in the wrong direction. He wanted to go home, _needed_ to go home, not… wherever it was he was going. It didn't matter that his home was destroyed. To Comet, the Dragon Realms were all there was in the world. There was nothing else beyond them, just emptiness. Beyond his home, there was nothing, and it was into that nothing he headed.

He had always dreamt of adventure, but now that he had it: it was too much. Comet decided, barely an hour into his intergalactic space travelling adventures, that he had preferred his life in the Dragon Realms. If only he could have it back.

He would do anything.

He cursed himself; he cursed his carelessness. Without thinking, he had sent himself flying far, far from home. So far he might never make it back.

An eternity passed, and then another. Onwards he drifted, not slowing, travelling through the endless expanses of space.

 _Wake up._ He pleaded to himself. _I have to wake up. mum's there next to me; dad's returned home from the scouting mission. Everything is alright._ Comet thought for a moment he could even hear his parents whispering comfort to him, though he knew they couldn't be there.

To the dark around him, his pleas meant nothing. He travelled onwards, a small trail of blackened powder floating in his wake as small pieces of charred scale flaked from his limbs. The burned scales didn't trouble him, they caused no pain. They did stain his once blue and red scales a basalt-black, though.

He had to wonder if his scales would ever be they way they were again.

Comet's back struck something solid and his heart skipped a beat. He felt fur brushing against the spines of his back, and fear gripped him. There was a giant space monster behind him, too surprised by the sudden appearance of a living comet to eat him… yet.

He could have sworn he heard a rumble, the great beast's gut telling it that the tiny rock-like thing that had crashed into it was in fact food. Comet tensed, ready to push himself away, go spiralling into space once more until he crashed into something else. Something hopefully less alive.

But the beast never ate him. Still, it didn't move, and with mounting fear, Comet braced himself to see what he had struck. The beast had to be huge. It certainly felt huge. He took a deep breath and held it.

 _Okay. No sudden movements. Easy does it._ He slowly began to turn, then added a prayer. _Don't eat me please._

Comet beheld the monster he had crashed into, and his breath all rushed out at once. The beast was giant, earthy and covered in green.

It was no giant monster he had crashed into. It was an island.

It looked familiar somehow…

His dread, his certainty that he was about to become a snack, was quickly replaced with curiosity. _What was this island, and why did it look so familiar?_

He took hold of the earth and pulled himself towards it, before beginning to climb the small hill before him. He couldn't help but wonder what was beyond the hill. Gravity seemed to take hold of him, coming from somewhere he couldn't see, it pulled him towards the dirt he had grabbed, and soon he was standing on solid ground again.

Momentarily confused, he blinked twice before shrugging. Gravity that appeared out of nowhere was still gravity. Just like the invisible, intangible air he breathed was still air.

Now no longer having to pull himself clumsily across the ground, he was able to walk smoothly with the help of gravity. He soon reached the top of the hill, and he gasped.

He knew this place. How could he forget it?

Islands, some covered with lush grass, others with dense thickets and others with flowing waterfalls, all joined together by flimsy rope bridges. In the distance, he could make out what looked like stones in a strange arrangement, though it was hard to tell in the dark. Colours were hard to make out, but everything looked the way he had expected: green and full of life.

He was in Tall Plains.

How Tall Plains had survived the destruction of the planet was wiped from Comet's mind as more important thoughts took priority. He had somewhere to stay! It had water, shelter and… Atlawa?

Had they survived the explosion too? Surely they had.

Giddy with the prospect that he now had somewhere to stay, somewhere he knew, Comet dashed to the nearest bridge. It groaned protest under his weight, but he ignored its whining and ran across.

He saw a small cave, a pool next to it.

 _Perfect. I can stay there tonight._

And then, all at once, his joy left him, the grin sliding from his muzzle. It was already night time. The moons were already out. Would day ever come, or would the night continue on? Had the Eternal Night returned?

Comet looked around and shivered. Now that he had found somewhere to stay, somewhere safe, he was beginning to notice the cold and darkness. While before, he had been more concerned about finding somewhere to stay, and sustenance, now he had other problems.

Entering the small cave, he lay down, resting his head on his paws. The space was plain, undecorated dirt walls, a grassy floor, and an opening onto a small pool which reflected the light of twin moons.

Comet closed his eyes, welcoming sleep. Too much had happened that day.

 _Or night…_

Maybe he would find out how Tall Plains had ended up here? Maybe an Atlawa would find him in his sleep?

He smirked, imagining the Atlawas' reaction to his sudden appearance, then slipped into his dreams.

He had found home. He was safe. He only wished his parents could have been there with him.

* * *

 **See you for the next chapter.**


	2. Tall Plains

Comet awoke to the sound of rustling grass, and the feeling he was being watched. It was still dark out, but he felt well enough rested for an entire day to have passed. He glanced about warily, searching for a pair of glowing red eyes hidden in a dark corner of the cave, or amongst the wild grass outside. There was nothing there; he shivered, though he wasn't cold.

Still able to feel eyes boring into the back of his head, regardless of which direction he looked, Comet rose to his feet and made his way to the cave entrance. Maybe some fresh air would do him good.

Outside, the moons were still shining, red and green reflecting across the still water outside and revealing the plains around him. The trees were a stark contrast to the grass. While the grass shifted, rustling about, the trees were still, as if carved from stone, and not living matter. It was eerily quiet.

There was a rustle beside him and he flinched. There was nothing there.

When he had imagined Tall Plains, Comet had pictured lush, green grass as far as the eye could see; islands floating in a blue sky, dotted with clouds and the Atlawa going about their business while the sun beat mercilessly down on them. It was a scene straight out of a picture book, and that was where it would stay.

This was no picture book place of happiness and life; this was a dead wasteland, floating forevermore in darkness in a timeless space.

When he had seen the grass and trees the day before, or, at least, he guessed it was the day before, he had taken them to be alive. He had been wrong, his mind too filled with recollections of lush grass and life, that he had failed to see the truth before him for what it really was.

What he had first taken for green vegetation was actually decaying husks. The blue water he had seen actually grimy sewage. The dark hides so much from an unwary eye.

Seeing the dark, spectre-like trees, he gave up hope of ever finding the Atlawa. There was no one here. If the trees, able to survive hundreds of years through wars and chaos, were dead, there was no hope of finding an Atlawa, each barely able to last more than fifty years.

Taking a deep breath, Comet stood up taller himself, bracing himself with a resolve he had seen so often in his father after a long day. It was a resolve with no support; it was a facade of strength, but strength nonetheless. Several seconds passed before his fabricated mask became a real expression. He _believed_ he was brave enough to get through this _._ He had survived the destruction of the planet. _Who was to say no one else had? There could be Atlawa around. There had to be!_

With a new strength, derived solely from the need for one, and nothing else, the young dragon made his way into the trees. At once, those ever-watching eyes left his presence and he breathed a sigh of relief. They were beginning to get on his nerves.

The trees were more welcoming up close than they were from afar. From the cave, they had looked like they were made from stone, but up close, it was easy to tell they were still made from wood and bark. That they were dead, though, was impossible to hide.

 _I never got to see this place before it was destroyed. It's not fair!_

After all the tales he had heard of lands beyond Warfang, and the stories he had heard of Spyro battling with the Dark Master's forces, it hurt to see those lands he had so wished to see in such a state. Deep down, he held onto a hope, however slim, that maybe only Tall Plains had been damaged this badly; that maybe, somewhere out there, other parts of his home drifted through space, waiting for him to discover them.

Maybe Warfang was out there somewhere, his parents waiting with open arms for their only child to return home. Would they even recognise me? It was a question that came out of nowhere, but startled him. He didn't know the answer to that. _Would they_? He didn't look the same anymore. It had been barely two days, and already his scales were a different colour, and he had a nasty looking scar on his chest where the earth had pierced through.

He hadn't seen his reflection yet. He had a chance earlier; he could have looked in that still pool, and seen in the moonlight his changed features. The reason he hadn't looked was simple. He didn't want to know how much he had changed.

Deep down, Comet clung to the hope, however slim or impossible, that maybe his scales weren't charred black by the explosion of a planet, that he didn't have a scar marring his once pristine scales.

Comet arrived in a small clearing and collapsed on a fallen log. It was impossible to tell how old it was; whether it had only just fallen or been there for years, but he didn't care.

It was dark, it could be that way forever, and he was alone. Two whole days, or so he guessed, and he was still yet to find anyone else. Still yet to find signs of anyone else.

The trees around him loomed up, seeming to cover him in their shadows, and he began to understand his situation. Those dark, dead trees were a warning. There was no safety here. He would be alone, surrounded until the end by decaying fauna.

It was a desolate land that hung promises of green forests and safety just out of reach.

Tall Plains was dead and everyone was gone. It was time he moved on, found somewhere else to stay.

It was a long while before he made it back to the hill he had climbed up to first reach Tall Plains. Space stretched into the distance, an endless expanse that promised home and safety, if he could but find it. Somewhere out there, another piece of the Dragon Realms awaited, and he would find it. If it was the last thing he did, Comet would make sure that he found home.

With a deep breath, he pushed away from Tall plains, feeling gravity's pull on him weakening until it no longer affected him, allowing him to drift freely into space's hungry maw.

He closed his eyes, uttering a silent prayer to the Ancestors that he would find somewhere to stay. That he would find someone else who could help him survive in this lost world. Hope was all he had left.

* * *

The silence stretched on, and Comet succumbed to it, allowing it to lull him into its gentle embrace. He felt like he could stay this way forever, drifting through space in silence with nothing but his thoughts.

Abruptly, Comet crash-landed in another barren wasteland. Still disheartened from the sight of Tall Plains, he was about to push away from the new place he had landed on, ready to re-begin his search for sanctuary. Another barren wasteland wasn't what he needed.

But then he recognised where he was and his jaw dropped. He was at Munitions Forge, and it looked exactly as he had expected, down to the positioning of the rocks at his feet. Jittery with excitement, he made a dash for the nearest tunnel entrance into Boyzitbig.

He'd gone barely a metre before things went wrong.

A titanic roar of anger filled the air, so loud and strong it vibrated his very bones. He skidded to a halt, looked about frantically for the source of the noise. The sound came again, a sound filled with malice; promising a slow, painful demise. It was closer this time, and it was coming from the very tunnel he had been running towards.

Comet considered standing there and confronting whatever it was making the sounds, but decided against it and ducked behind the nearest rock. He'd rather not become a meal on day four of his adventures. It was too soon.

 _I'm too young to die._

An image of Sparx, a small dragonfly rumoured to have joined Spyro on his adventures, came to mind. From the rumours he was supposed to be a smart-mouthed coward, and the comparison to such a small insect made him laugh. Comet's situation came back to him and he stifled his sniggers with a paw. _Not the right time._

Cautiously, he poked his head over the rock.

The roar came again, and a beast dashed out the tunnel. It was the strangest cheetah he had ever seen. Orange, tall and muscular, and wreathed in swirling blue fire. He roared in rage and looked about with wild eyes. Comet saw the madness in them and ducked behind the rock. His heart pounded. Whatever that creature was, it couldn't be friendly.

He heard soft paw-steps, and resisted the urge to look back. After a moment of indecision, his curiosity got the better of him and he peeked cautiously over the rock behind which he hid. The beast was running away, heading towards a pool of water not far off. He wondered briefly why an evil, fire-covered beast would run towards water, rather than away from it, and quickly came to a conclusion.

 _If he's covered in fire, it must be hot. So he gets water to stop himself from overheating! I surprise even myself sometimes with my genius._

Seeing that beast was no longer looking his way, and interested to see what the fire-cheetah would do, Comet darted out from cover to follow the beast. It was the first living thing he had seen since the destruction of the world, and he had to find out what it was. Friendly or not, and he doubted it was, it was something. And something was always better than nothing, his Father used to say.

The only times he had ever heeded those words before now was when it came to dinner time. His parents would serve up something foul and he would say to himself: 's _omething's better than nothing.'_ And scoop a portion of it into his mouth, gagging after every bite. Now, those words were what drove him to tail a potentially dangerous beast.

Perhaps they weren't the wisest of words to be following at that moment, but he shrugged and continued his pursuit.

So intent on reaching the water, the cheetah-like animal didn't notice him, or even bother to check if he was being followed. He found it strange that the beast wouldn't check for pursuers, but realised there was good reason. Such a powerful beast wouldn't be concerned about anything following or ambushing it. It's tall, muscular, and on fire for ancestors' sake!

When the monster reached the water, instead of drinking it, it jumped straight in! Comet was taken aback at the strange antics, but then gasped in horror. This was no monster wreathed in flame. It was a cheetah on fire.

For the first time, burnt flesh reached his nose and he blanched. If there was anything in his stomach to bring up, it would've been all over Munitions Forge. Attention now brought to his gut, it grumbled, voicing its hunger for the first time in days. Strange how it didn't alert him until now.

The cheetah, finetuned to sound, looked up suddenly. His eyes were scared, but at the same time, held a strength that said he wouldn't go down without a fight. Even unarmed, half burned to death, and weakened from days without proper rest, he would fight. Comet smiled, though it was closer to a grimace. This cheetah, one who had suffered so much, would be the perfect companion in this destroyed world.

Someone strong enough to help him face whatever dangers they encountered, and, hopefully, friendly enough to stay with him.

Then he noticed another detail in the cheetah's eyes. It was something so hard to notice that the cheetah must have been forcing it down, trying to deny it. Even so, resignation was still in his expression. He knew what had happened to the world, and he knew, somehow, it was impossible anyone, or anything, else had survived. He was alone, just as Comet had thought he was.

It was time he proved him wrong.

Stepping out from behind a rock, Comet called out the cheetah. A singed head spun his way in a heartbeat, eyes going from scared, to surprised, to steely, and then to confused faster than Comet could blink. He put on an unsure smile, and offered it to the cheetah. It was a long while before the gesture was returned, but when it did, the relief in the air was palpable.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Comet strode over to the cheetah. For a moment, they observed each other, and then they locked eyes, and the cheetah spoke.

"I guess we are both stuck in this mess then?" The question was rhetorical.

Comet nodded anyway, scratching at the edge of the pool. It had been so long since he'd had a proper bath. Over a week by now, at least.

The cheetah looked at him closer, noting his tiredness. "You look hungry. I have some food inside, follow me."

The cheetah began to rise from the water, wincing in pain as he did. Comet gave him a sympathetic look.

"What happened to you?"

"Lava. Caught my tail by accident. Fire spreads faster than you would think…" He looked away, seemingly embarrassed. What was there to be embarrassed about though, surely cheetahs set their tails on fire often?

 _On second thought…_

"Are you alright?"

"I am well enough." The cheetah appraised him once more. "You came from Tall Plains. How did you ge-" Comet cut him off.

"How did you know I came from Tall Plains? And no, there isn't an easy way there. Took me a day's travel to get there, and I only got there by chance, the same way I got here."

"You have a few twigs stuck between your scales. I recognise them from my travels there." He paused and looked away, seeming to search the starlit space beyond the newly discovered island of Boyzitbig for Tall Plains. He didn't look back when he spoke. "How is it there? Is it any better than this… asteroid. We barely have enough food to last a week."

Comet shook his head sadly. Tall Plains was even worse than Boyzitbig. At least Boyzitbig had food, and shelter of some sort. It even had a natural heat source for cold nights. Assuming you didn't get set on fire by it.

"A shame. Wash, then meet me inside. First room on the left."

The cheetah set off, skin showing on most of his body. It was a sorry sight, seeing almost no fur on a creature usually covered in a rich coat. At least there was no one else around to see.

 _Other than me, of course._

He looked back at the pool of water, and suddenly overcome with a want for a bath that his Mum would have exchanged an arm and a leg for, he jumped right in, ignoring the flotsam and clumps of singed fur.

Twigs floated off his body along with a week's worth of accumulated grime as he scrubbed at his scales. The water was pleasantly warm, heated by the volcano beside it. He had never been to the hot springs in Avalar that the cheetahs spoke so highly of, but he imagined they would be something like this.

 _Except they would be in a forest, not in the middle of space… but still._

Refreshed, he dragged himself from the water, shaking free sparkling droplets. For a moment, he missed the sun for its drying warmth, but comforted himself with the promise of magma. It would have to do.

He found the cheetah in small room, just inside the tunnel from which he'd emerged earlier, bustling about as he grabbed various food items. All of them were tinned, but he didn't mind. A meal was a meal, after all.

Comet paused. He was more like his Father than he first thought. The comparison irked him, especially given the rough footing they had last departed on, perhaps forever. His father had always told him that trees were trees, and that grass was grass, and that food, regardless of what form it came in, was still food. _How could they be anything else but what they look to be?_ he would say. And now here he was, using that same excuse to explain everything around him. All the impossibilities like flaming cheetahs, and air in space, and his very survival.

He understood why his Father had used it. During the war water had been hard to come by, and any water he found was water he drank. But after the war, there was time to explain the how's and why's of the world.

Sooner or later, he would want to know how he could breathe in space, and how he had survived the destruction of the planet. He wouldn't remain like his Dad had been forever. He would make sure of it.

The cheetah looked up and offered a warm smile. Comet was slow on the uptake, but returned it. Silently, they sat at a small, rickety wooden table, worn from use. The small dragon plunged his head into his tinned beans, starved after days without food. The cheetah chuckled softly, then started on his own meal, albeit at a more measured pace.

Their meals were finished within minutes, seconds in Comet's case, and for a while they just sat, looking into the distance where the island met space, which stretched ever on into the distance.

Comet finally broke the silence. He had never been fond of long silences. He would have spoken sooner, but he had been waging a war with his stomach to keep his lunch down. He was _not_ going to bring back up his first square meal.

"What do we do now?"

"I do not know, young one."

Comet looked at the cheetah closer. Had the cheetah just called him _young one_? He didn't look old enough to use that title, but then, he was missing most of his fur; it was hard to judge his age. Maybe he was older than he had first appeared.

Or maybe the destruction of the world had aged him years in a matter of moments? Comet wondered if he had changed that much, but decided against it. He didn't feel any different.


	3. Munitions Forge

Comet awoke to a blank, rocky wall. For a moment, he traced the cracks in the rock, but quickly grew bored of it and looked away. The cheetah sat at a small wooden table in the centre of the small room, idly scratching a groove in the wood. It was still dark inside, the gloom lit only by a pool of magma just out of sight beyond the small room.

"I see you are awake," the cheetah said.

Comet stood up slowly. He was so lethargic in the morning, it was almost painful. He wished he could wake up faster. He blinked a few times, and hopped from paw to paw in a vain attempt to make his mind reboot faster.

"Sure am." He beamed.

"I was just about to go exploring. Would you care to accompany me?"

Not wanting to be left alone in an unfamiliar place, and eager to explore, he nodded energetically. The cheetah inclined his head, rising from his seat and heading for the door. The small wooden stool creaked, sounding flimsier than it looked, and Comet was reminded of the bridges at Tall Plains. He knew why he had left, and it was fortunate he did as well – he may never have met the cheetah otherwise – but he still felt a pang of longing to be back there. He already missed the grass, however lifeless it had been. It was more like home than Munitions Forge ever would be.

The cheetah noticed his pause and looked back with a small grin.

"Are you coming?"

Comet shook his head to clear it, then nodded. The cheetah frowned.

"Was that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"

He walked over to the cheetah. "It was a yes."

The cheetah nodded, and they began walking, heading deeper into the tunnel they were in. As they ventured farther down the tunnel, it grew hotter, and Comet began to fidget restlessly. They reached an opening into a large space, multiple shafts branching from it, and the cheetah glanced at him, then back at the caves around them.

"Will you be alright to go further? We can go back if you wish."

Comet shook his head, looking around with interest at the system around him. Abandoned mine carts and pickaxes stuck out of the dirt, and multiple tunnels were caved in. Several others looked unstable also. He wanted nothing more than to explore every branch from the cavern he was in, but knew he should stay with the cheetah. That, and he didn't want to be buried alive by a collapsing mineshaft. Several of them looked particularly unreliable.

Comet paused then, and looked closely at the cheetah. He hadn't caught his name yet.

He halted for a moment, unsure how to phrase his question, then began tentatively, "Uh, Mr cheetah?"

He chuckled, looking away from the cavern around him, and instead looking at Comet. "Yes, young one?"

"What's your name? You never told me."

The cheetah made a clucking sound. "True." He held out a paw. "Reed of Avalar. And you? I don't believe I caught your name."

Comet stood dumbfounded for a moment, then finally regained control of his tongue. In his excitement, he forgot the cheetah's question. " _The_ Reed? The one that fought off a hundred grublins on his own?"

Reed cracked a grin. "That's me."

The young dragon cast about for some way of expressing his excitement discreetly, but drew a blank and hopped about, doing a little jog in front of the cheetah, who eyed him with amusement.

Reed was a famous cheetah, renowned for his prowess in battle. By far his most repeated tale though, was the time he defeated an entire battalion of grublins on his own. Many discounted it as a fanciful tale told to children, but Comet didn't listen to them. This cheetah had defeated one hundred grublins on his own in one go. He knew it was true.

"Can you tell me the story?" There was clear pleading in his tone, and Reed couldn't bring himself to say no. Though Comet looked to be in his early teens, sometimes he didn't act like it. Reed didn't seem to mind. It must have been comforting to have a little black ball of energy bouncing around him. A reminder that he wasn't the only survivor of a destroyed planet. There were others out there somewhere, waiting for him to find them.

Reed looked at the cavern around them briefly, then he sighed and looked back to Comet, who had calmed enough to stay in the one spot, though he still hopped from foot to foot, eagerly awaiting a tale from the cheetah.

"Perhaps we should head outside first. It is too hot in here for comfortable story-telling. Maybe you'll remember your name, too." He winked, and headed back the way they had come, Comet following closely behind, filling in his name as they went.

Just beyond the shaft leading to the storeroom, Reed led Comet to a large, flat rock, and together they lay down on the stone, Comet on his front, reed on his back. Comet wiggled as Reed began his tale, recounting his close encounter with grublins while on a scouting mission as he aimlessly searched the stars above.

He had been passing through a narrow ravine, searching for signs of grublins, and had stumbled upon one of their camps when the ravine suddenly opened out into a forested clearing. The grublins had quickly fallen upon him, and he had edged back towards the narrow space from which he had emerged. Though it had given him less space to manoeuvre, it had limited the number of grublins able to reach him. It had been his best chance at survival.

He could have made a run for it, but that would have led the grublins back to Avalar, so instead, he had stood and fought, swinging his bright blade time and time again, felling a grublin with every lethal stroke.

He was in the middle of describing his fight with a much larger grublin, likely their leader, though he had never found out, when Comet bumped him in his energetic bouncing.

"Calm, young one. You'll cause an earthquake at this rate."

Comet stopped fidgeting, giving a meek apology.

"It is alright, Comet. Just relax, that's all."

He nodded and returned to his rapt listening of Reed's story.

The cheetah was in the middle of describing the gut-wrenching moment a grublin had knocked him over, pinning his left hand and forcing him to fight from the ground with the hand he didn't normally use, when suddenly Comet yawned. Out of habit, he looked up to check the time, but realised he had no way of knowing. The time was anyone's guess.

"Perhaps it is time you went to bed," he decided.

"But you're not finished," Comet protested, turning pleading eyes on the cheetah.

"I can always finish in the morning."

For a moment, it looked as though Comet was about to continue arguing, but thought better of it, and closed his mouth. With a grumble, the young dragon got to his feet, and headed off for the storeroom. When Reed didn't follow, he glanced back.

"Aren't you coming too?"

"I will later. Go on, I will join you shortly. Try and get some sleep. You look like you need it."

It was a short walk back to the storeroom, though it took longer than it should have. Along the way, Comet thought he saw something shiny beneath one of his paws, and paused to glance at it. It was just a scrap of metal, nothing exciting. Irritated that he hadn't found something more interesting, he had resumed walking, and soon reached his bed of clothes.

Nestling down for the night, he closed his eyes, imagining the days to come. He had found Reed, and together, they would be safe. They had food, shelter, and companionship. What else could they want?

He tried fruitlessly to stay awake until Reed joined him, but after a half-hour gave up trying. It was clear he was going to be a while longer. Comet fell into a comfortable rest.

It wasn't to last.

* * *

Comet awoke panting, tossing and turning on his make-shift bed. Reed sat in the corner leaning against a flat space on the wall, an observant eye trained on him. Comet wondered briefly if the cheetah ever slept. He certainly hadn't seen him sleep yet. He'd rarely seen the cheetah close his eyes for more than a second. _Did the war do that to him?_

Reed nodded, then went back to his silent vigil, keeping an eye out for an enemy that wasn't there. For a moment, Comet lay on his clothing-mattress, then clambered to his feet. He needed some fresh air.

As he was leaving, Reed cast a studious eye over him. "Don't go too far," he murmured. His voice was strangely soothing.

Comet tilted his head to the cheetah, walking through the storeroom door. Outside, he looked down the tunnel briefly, entertaining the thought of wandering its depths, but soon turned to the opening to his right. A cool breeze that shouldn't have been there drifted through the tunnel to him, and he took in a deep, welcoming breath of it.

Beyond the confines of Boyzitbig, Munitions Forge opened onto the endless stretches of space. For several minutes, the dark dragon observed the stars, then let out a deep, shuddering breath.

He missed his parents more than he had first expected he would. Years ago, he would have given everything and more just to be rid of his parents for more than a minute, to be free of their incessant nagging. But now, when he had what he had always wanted, he realised he had been happier back home.

 _I wish they could be here with me._

His prayer went unheard and, with a sigh, he continued his walk. He saw something glinting in the dirt, and stopped to look at it. It was that same shard from earlier. He huffed, wishing once again that it could be something more interesting.

Hours later, or so he guessed, he returned to Reed. The cheetah was in the same spot he had been earlier, leaning against the one flat area of wall in the room. For a moment, they exchanged glances, then Reed spoke. Reed knew what was on his mind.

"It will be alright. We'll make it through this together."

They could read each other's thoughts without even knowing each other, for the simple reason that they were both thinking the same things. They wanted to go home, and they wanted their families back.

Comet stood awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure how to respond to the cheetah. Emotions swirled inside his chest, grief at the loss of his parents, excitement at the chance of freedom the destruction of the planet offered, and hope at the chance of life the cheetah extended to him. A chance to live out the rest of his days in comfort and companionship, feasting each night on tinned beans, or stew, or salted meats and potatoes.

It was a life he could get used to, and suddenly, he needed some way of expressing his gratitude to the cheetah. He searched about for something, then his gaze came to rest on Reed.

The cheetah was wrapped in a crushing hug seconds later, looking down with wide eyes at the black lump stuck to his chest. He looked uncertain, as if he'd never been shown such intimacy before, and patted Comet's head self-consciously, careful to avoid his horns.

Comet peeled back, turning his head to look at Reed. Becoming aware of his sudden outburst, he extricated himself from the cheetah and sat on the floor, looking abashedly at the cool stone. Reed reached down with a paw, gripping him by the shoulder.

"It is alright Comet. I understand." Sincerity shone in the cheetah's eyes, comforting him, promising him that everything would be alright.

"Try and get some sleep," Reed said.

With a tired nod, Comet plodded back over to his bed, laying back down and closing his eyes. Sleep claimed him quickly, and he plunged into his dreams of life before the End.

* * *

Comet stood alone on a flat rock, the same one on which he had sat with Reed the night before. After a moment, he lay down on his stomach, soaking up the warmth of the lava-heated rock. In front of him, space shone in all its brilliance. Stars danced and blinked, and the twin moons shone down from above. Every now and then, a streak would flash briefly in the distance, and with each flash Comet would make the same wish.

He wished he could go home.

But he no longer knew where home was, or if it would even be the same if he finally found it. _No, when._ He said firmly to himself. He _would_ find his home, if it was the last thing he ever did. He had to know, for good or for ill, if his home was still in one piece. He had to know what had happened to his parents. His friends…

Comet shouted a curse to Malefor, hearing it disappear into space. There was no response, but there was a finality to his words that satisfied him. If he said Malefor was cursed, he was, and that was final.

He heard a skitter behind him and spun to face the approaching threat. It was just Reed. There was a burning rage on the cheetah's face, and for a moment Comet thought he was in trouble for something, began to edge away from the cheetah. Reed spoke.

"If only we could truly curse that monster. He deserves a curse or two, and a thousand years of torment, and then another."

Comet relaxed slightly. Reed wasn't angry at him, but the edge to his words was frightening. He had seen and heard people cursing the Dark Master and all he stood for, praying to the Ancestors that he would meet a painful demise, but never before had he met someone who so vehemently opposed him. It was almost as if he held a personal vendetta towards the dark dragon.

Reed seemed to notice his discomfort and sighed.

"My apologies, young dragon. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wish there were some way of seeking retribution from that accursed dragon."

Comet nodded in agreement. Suddenly, Reed's face fell.

"What's wrong?" Comet asked.

"It's about our food supply," he started slowly. He seemed reluctant to finish, and Comet had a nagging suspicion he knew where Reed was going. "We're running low; I estimate we have barely five days of food left. Either we have to find some more food, or we're going to have to leave and hope we find somewhere that does."

Neither option seemed better than the other. While searching for food would be the better option, because they were more likely to find more food than they were to crash-land on a tiny planet in a giant, endless space, it wasn't a solution. Finding more food would just delay their departure.

No matter what happened from then on, they would have to leave Boyzitbig sooner or later. Reed's question quickly devolved into a statement of fact. They would have to leave, and they would have to cross their fingers and hope they found somewhere safe to stay.

 _First Tall Plains, and now Munitions Forge… is there anywhere safe left?_


	4. Rough Travels

Reed and Comet stood side by side, looking out across the abyss of space. Neither of them knew where they were, or where anything else was, so the direction they headed would be a stab in the dark. For a moment, the silence between them held, and then Comet spoke.

"Are we going then?"

Reed sighed. "There is no benefit from delaying. So yes. We shall depart."

Comet nodded, then looked down at his chest. From a leather strap the cheetah had fashioned for him to hang around his neck, the shard he had seen dangled. Every day, he had seen that same glimmer in the dirt, and eventually he decided to bring it along with him. It was a better memento than a pickaxe. At least it would hang neatly around his neck, instead of weighing heavily on his back.

It had a strange allure to it, too. The way the light reflected off of its silver surface, a rainbow of colours dancing across the metal disk. At first, he had taken it to be just a shard, chipped off a mine cart or pickaxe, but in fact, it had been a perfect disc. It seemed to be made of something valuable, though he doubted he'd ever get the chance to sell it, or have any reason to do so.

Raising a paw, Comet grasped Reed tightly, and together they took a leap of faith into the darkness. Comet didn't look back. He didn't want to regret leaving. He had left for a reason.

He took a deep breath, and choked. There was no air. Beside him, Reed had his eyes closed, taking slow, calming breaths. He appeared to be fine, so why couldn't he breathe? He looked about in a panic, searching for air, though he knew he couldn't see it.

He saw a glowing light and looked down. The disc on his chest was shining a sickly green. Without thinking, he grasped it tightly and ripped it from his chest, tearing the leather strap Reed had made for him. With his next breath, air rushed back into his lungs, and he inhaled gratefully.

He glared at the disk in his paw. _How dare you deprive me of oxygen._

He could have died!

He shook Reed gently, who opened his eyes, giving him a look that suggested he would rather have been left alone. His eyes widened when he saw the snapped leather cord in Comet's hand, the metal disk slowly losing the last of its blue sheen, and returning to a gleaming silver.

"What happened?" There was alarm in his voice.

"Damned thing tried to suffocate me! I couldn't breathe."

Reed looked closely at the disk, the raised one of his paws, gesturing for the object. Comet handed it over warily, and the cheetah grasped it, scanning its surface. For several moments, he didn't say anything, and then abruptly looked up. His eyes were wide, and when he spoke, they pleaded for forgiveness.

"This isn't just a scrap of metal, Comet. This was a torture device Cynder used as the Terror of the Skies." Comet took a deep breath in shock. "It does nothing for the first few hours, and you are released to do as you wish. Then, somehow, it stops you from breathing. When you pass out, you are shown a vision of a place, often a stronghold belonging to the Dark Master, and an urge to travel there overwhelms you…" Reed trailed off, and Comet passed him a concerned glance.

Then inspiration struck Comet and he smiled to himself. _Goodness he had his moments of brilliance._

"So… if I wore this, I would get an urge to go somewhere, right?"

Reed looked at him. "No."

"But yo-" He was cut off.

"I mean no to what you're thinking. I am not letting you torture yourself on the off-chance it'll lead us somewhere."

Comet pleaded with him, "But-"

"No. I am not changing my mind on this matter."

Comet sighed and looked away, suddenly wanting to be as far away from the cheetah as possible, but unable to leave him in case they became separated.

Reed looked in the direction they were headed and blinked. He squinted, and Comet followed his gaze. He couldn't see anything.

"I believe there's something up ahead," Reed said cautiously, "though I wouldn't be too hopeful."

Comet didn't respond, continuing to look into the distance, watching hopefully for a telltale sign of a planet, an island, anywhere they could stay. He hoped it would have food. He didn't want to have to leave again.

After several more minutes, Comet at last caught sight of the mass Reed had spotted long before him. He wriggled excitedly, and Reed held on tight to stop him from jostling himself free and separating them. When the mass grew closer, Comet stopped his excited movements.

They were going to miss it.

He could only watch in disappointment as the land passed by, just out of reach. If only there were something he could grab on to.

Lush grass caught his eye, an orchard of various fruit trees, small huts with tinder stacked outside for firewood. It looked warm and welcoming, somewhere he would be safe, away from any dangers the unknown held. He could live there, a happy, calm life with Reed. And it was just beyond his reach, tantalisingly close, but still too far away.

The blissful scene slipped by, growing ever distant from him once more. He held back a sob as space consumed him again. He closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep and escape his troubles.

He cracked his eyes open one last time. On the island, he could have sworn he saw something move, and try though he might, he couldn't will sleep to come. Reed gripped him tight.

* * *

The first thing Comet was aware of was the world shaking around him. He cracked his eyes open, looking blearily up at Reed, who had his arms on his shoulders, pushing and pulling gently at him.

"Comet, get up! It's not safe here," he said.

"Wha-"

Reed nudged him to his feet. "Come on. There's no time. The dreadwings could find us any moment now."

Comet stumbled to his feet, glancing about. Dark, menacing towers stood around him, set like sentinels upon dark, back-breaking stone. Jagged spires of rock jutted from the ground, and sparkling crystals filled with darkness littered the ground. He began to follow Reed as he picked his way across the treacherous rocks. Comet jumped from rock to rock behind him, following the same steps the cheetah took, but with more enthusiasm. If the rocks held for Reed, surely they would hold for him, too.

"Where are we?" he asked.

Reed looked about, seeming afraid of something he couldn't see. His mouth set in a grim line. "If I'm not mistaken, Concurrent Skies."

Comet shivered. He recognised that name. The Terror of the Skies had used it as her lair. A dark, evil place filled with dreadwings and traps. Spyro was said to have fought his way through the wasteland around it, eventually reaching Cynder's hulking, dark palace-like lair.

"I hope it isn't."

Reed nodded, though his expression didn't lighten. They both wished they weren't, in fact, in Concurrent Skies, but deep down, they knew they were. There was nowhere else they could be.

A screech sounded in the distance, and Reed doubled his pace, gliding effortlessly over the rocks. Comet's energetic jumps devolved to frantic, panicked scrambling as he struggled to keep up. He didn't want to be left behind. He looked about, trying to find the source of the noise, but he couldn't see through the thicket of tall stone around him.

"Where are we going?" Comet asked.

"Away from here."

 _Well that's useful._ Comet pouted to himself. 'Away from here', was not an answer. He continued to follow anyway. He didn't want to be left alone, and he feared the dreadwings finding him. He had never seen one, but he remembered the tales of the evil flying beasts, hunting down dragons and dropping giant, fiery explosions on cities. What they would do if they found a young, lone dragon in a desolate world… He didn't want to think about it.

Abruptly, the stone around them fell away, the land opening onto a flat plain of smooth reflective stone. It looked polished, as if a stream had once run across it, wearing away its rough edges. In the distance, where the plain ended and the ground became rough once more, a cave sat. It looked like a whole smashed by an explosion into the side of one of the rocks, a rocky behemoth.

"There's a cave!" Comet said.

Reed nodded, looking anxiously at the stone in front of them. Comet noticed his discomfort.

"What is it?"

"I don't trust this stone. There's something off about it."

Comet looked at it, then stepped back. Reed watched as he began to move forward and, before he could protest, took a running leap onto the stone. There was a skitter of claws as he landed on the smooth surface, sliding unceremoniously across it. He tried to disguise his crude landing by performing a little spin, but slipped and fell. He cracked up laughing before he could stop himself.

"Comet, you have to be more careful!" Reed scolded, though there was amusement in his eyes, despite his attempts to smother it.

Tentatively, Reed followed after him, struggling to keep his balance on the slippery surface. Eventually, he reached the scorch-blackened dragon, and as two mediocre ice-skaters, they began to slide the rest of the way across the stone, grinning despite themselves as they sped along the slippery ground.

They were halfway across when, before either of them could react, the stone beneath them began to split. It didn't split randomly, either, as you would expect when the ground broke apart. Rather, it split precisely, each new crack a perfect incision in the earth, until four perfect quarters were drawn in the rock. The stone began to draw apart, seeming to glide into hidden recesses below them.

"Ancestors be damned," Reed muttered.

Somehow, they both managed to find extra traction and propelled themselves at ever increasing speeds across the rock, straining to escape the growing ravine in the ground.

Comet's paw slipped, and he fell to his side, wrenched from Reed's grasp. The cheetah continued sliding along, unable to stop himself as he grew farther and farther apart from Comet. The blackened dragon struggled to his paws, preparing to set off once more. But before he could move, the gap in the stone reached him, and his back paws fell off the edge; he gripped at nothing, struggling to not fall. He heard Reed calling his name, demanding him to climb back up _that instant_. The stone stopped moving.

Comet panted, scrabbling at the stone as he tried to find purchase. A shriek came, filling him with fear, and he lost his grip, plummeting into the darkness. He heard Reed call his name again, heard a screech, as of claws digging into stone. Reed appeared above him, looking down with horror as he continued to fall into the depths. He saw the cheetah's lips move, but he couldn't make out his words over the rushing wind and the distance.

His fall came to an end, his plummeting speed dropping away until he was suspended, hovering in place. And then he began to shoot back out of the ravine. His wings pumped on either side of him, his briefly forgotten appendages carrying him out of the pit to the skies above him. He was a dragon, not a manweersmall or cheetah. He could fly, and breathe fire.

Awe was apparent on the cheetah's face as he landed beside him once more, a mischievous grin on his muzzle.

"Ta-da," he said, taking a small bow.

"You scared me there, young one." Reed eyed him for a moment longer, trying to remain serious, but unable to keep a straight face.

Neither of them knew what to say next, so they continued on their way, moving at a more measured pace than before.

They reached the small cave, collapsing on the floor, tired from their travels.

For the next few hours, they sat together, huddled around a small fire Comet kept relighting. They had found some crystals, and Reed had gathered them in case Comet absorbed them. The crystals gave off the vibe they would consume Comet though, and not the other way round.

The crystals held Comet's fire for several minutes, and then petered out, having consumed all the energy in them. It fascinated them both the way the fire seemed to dance in the dark crystals, somehow trapped within instead of dissipating as it normally would. They watched as it twisted into various shapes, sometimes imagining that it morphed into images of the Dragon Realms, before they had been ripped apart.

Comet yawned, and Reed glanced at him.

"Time to sleep, then?" Reed said.

Comet nodded, then turned to the crystal. He gathered fire in his chest, then unleashed it on the crystal, breathing as much and as hot as he could. He wanted to keep the fire burning as long as possible, in case it got cold.

* * *

There was a shriek, and Comet awoke. Beside him, Reed was observing the crystal, seeming to debate ways of rekindling a fire within it without Comet's help. He noticed the blinking dragon and passed him a nod.

"They've been crying for hours, the blasted things. I'm surprised they didn't wake you sooner."

"I'm not letting a stupid beast get in the way of my sleep," Comet said. "I have rights, you know."

Reed smirked. "If only I had your such ability to sleep."

They both shrugged, and for a moment, they sat together, gazing out of the cave, searching for dreadwings and signs of life.

"Where to now?" Comet asked.

"I do not know, young one."

"Maybe we could go to that big lair thingy!" Comet bounced on the spot excitedly.

"That might not be the best idea. For one, we don't even know where it is. And even then, it's filled with traps. It's too dangerous."

Comet made his eyes as big as he could. He understood Reed, he truly did, but sometimes he was too paranoid.

The cheetah sighed. "Fine. If we find it, I'll take you there. First priority is finding food and water. Better to live in a cave with necessities, than in a palace without."

"Are we going then?" Comet said, bounding towards the exit.

With a smirk, Reed stood and followed him. "Yes, I suppose we should. The sooner the better."

And with that, they set off together, walking aimlessly, but with purpose, through the desolate expanse of Concurrent Skies. The rocks were just as foreboding as they had been the previous day, or night, and every now and then a shriek would sound out. It was hard to tell how far away the dreadwings were, due to the pitch of the sound they made, which seemed to echo in their skulls for minutes afterwards, so they walked hunched, jumping at their shadows. Comet wasn't as on edge as Reed, having lived for only the last part of the war, when the conflict was beginning to taper, whilst the cheetah had lived through years of conflict, his instincts honed to save his life.

For several hours they traversed the wasteland, each hoping to find something, and eventually, Comet thought he finally spotted something. In the distance, a great spire of stone, taller than any other he had seen, became visible. He marvelled at it for a moment, following its edges as it went up and down. As he looked closer, he realised that it was actually a cluster of three, no, four, tall rocks. And then it dawned on him.

He was looking at Cynder's lair. The home of the ex Terror of the Skies.

He turned to Reed, and pointed excitedly into the distance. The cheetah had been looking at the ground around them, seeming to avoid looking ahead. It was almost like he was trying not to look at the dark spires of rock.

"Reed, Reed, look!"

He sighed. "I know. I saw them earlier. I was hoping you wouldn't notice them, but a promise is a promise…"

Comet glared at him. "Why wouldn't you tell me? You promised we would go there if we found it, so why wouldn't you point it out?"

For several seconds, it seemed as if Reed wasn't going to respond, and then he sighed again. "I don't want to go there at all. I don't want to be anywhere near anything made by the Dark Master and his minions. I was just saying that so you wouldn't keep pestering me about it. I thought we were farther from it than we are… I guess not."

"Well, let's go then."

Comet bounded ahead of Reed, who followed after at a slower pace. He seemed to be fighting the urge to run as far and fast as possible from the dark spires in the distance. Again it struck Comet that Reed seemed to hold a grudge against the Dark Master. Heck, more than a grudge. He clearly _hated_ the Dark Master. Malefor must have done something nasty to him.

Or maybe he blamed all those battles on him?

The spires of earth were farther away than Comet had first thought, and eventually his seemingly endless energy began to slacken. His tongue hung from his open maw, and he panted. Reed quickly caught up to him, and cast him a reproachful look.

"Comet, you need to measure yourself. We could go days here without food, and you need to spare your strength."

He understood Reed's concern, but still rewarded him a nasty comment. "Yes, _dad._ "

The cheetah didn't gratify him with a response, instead turning and walking ahead of him, now seeming to want to reach their destination, rather than escape it.

 _At least I got something from that confrontation._

Comet resumed his journey to Cynder's lair, determined to keep up with Reed, who now kept a constant pace, walking speedily towards the spires in the distance. Slowly, Comet began to lag behind, and he began to panic. He couldn't fall behind Reed.

There was a screech, and he tripped, falling onto the rocks. A small stone dislodged from its place, skittering across the ground, coming to rest by a small hole. It teetered on the edge for a moment, then tipped, tumbling downwards to an unknown end. Loud clacks punctuated its fall, and Comet froze, along with the heart in his chest.

A shriek pierced his skull, and a red fog fell over his vision. His heart pounded faster, and his thoughts raced. A dreadwing fell from the sky, appearing from the clouds, and descending towards him rapidly. Comet's heart pounded even harder, and he found himself pinned in place by fear. His vision blurred and he struggled to regain control of his limbs before the beast could reach him.

He caught brief glimpses through a haze of terror. Fifteen eyes. Row upon row of serrated teeth. Seven limbs, each covered with bulging, ripped muscles.

Sharp talons reached out, ready to cleave him in two, and he shrank in on himself, overcoming his fear enough to exhibit it, but not enough to escape. There was a wild cry, and a figure leapt above him, intercepting the dreadwing, and stabbing it with a sharp, lethal sword.

Reed was back, saving his life.

There was another loud shriek, like rending metal, and the dreadwing recoiled, pulling out from its steep dive, flapping upwards as fast as it could. But Reed was too quick. Before the dreadwing could pull from its descent, gain any height to escape the cheetah, he had slashed through its left wing. The foul beast screamed, its flight becoming laborious and tilted.

The dreadwing struck the ground, broken and bloodied, and Reed drove his blade clean through its chest. The strike was so forceful as to be frightening. Reed had never met this dreadwing, he couldn't have, and yet the way he killed it, so mercilessly, and with such malice, it would seem that they shared a long, dark history.

Comet stared in slack-jawed horror at the cheetah, dark, crimson blood dripping from his sword. He didn't remember him having a sword though, and now that he looked closer, he realised that it wasn't, in fact, a well-crafted implement of destruction. In actuality, it was just a really, really sharp rock. There were so many stones around, it couldn't have been that hard to find. He probably just grabbed whatever was closest.

The cheetah pulled him to his paws, and the last of his fear left him as blood pulsed through his veins once more, flushing the dread from his mind.

"W-what, how, you, when?" Comet stuttered out. He couldn't formulate a coherent sentence, but still forced something out. He had to say something, anything, to convince himself that he had just been attacked by a dreadwing, and saved by Reed. Through a haze of fear he almost believed that a giant monster with a thousand razor teeth, and fifteen eyes had just attacked him, rather than a winged, taloned dreadwing.

Reed seemed to understand him though, placing a comforting paw on his shoulder. "It is alright Comet. Dreadwings do that to their victims. It'll wear off soon. I promise you that."

Comet couldn't muster a response, and for the next few moments, they sat in silence, Comet panting as he tried to calm himself. At long last, he felt he was calm enough to speak.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"What for?" Comet looked at him, preparing something harsh. He had tried to say sorry, and here Reed was asking him to keep going. It reminded him of his teachers back in Warfang, before the war had driven him underground. Whenever he apologised for something, he would have to say what he was apologising for, or the apology wouldn't count. Now here Reed was, doing the same. But when he looked at the cheetah, he saw nothing but confusion in his eyes. He actually didn't know.

"Well, I said some rude things earlier." His words didn't come easily; it took a lot to bend his pride enough to say this. The cheetah seemed proud of him for it though, or so he gleaned from his expression before he looked away. Reed placed his paw back on his shoulder, and Comet raised his eyes to his.

"It's nothing to be sorry for Comet. I said some equally rude things also. I keep taking my hatred for others out on you. I forget that we're together on this, the only survivors in a lost world." He looked deep into Comet's eyes, seeming to peer into his soul, making sure his words stuck. "We're in this together, until the end."

The cheetah's words were comforting, motivation when all hope was lost. With newfound determination, Comet rose to his paws, giving Reed a grateful nod. Then, he ran forward and grasped the cheetah in a tight hug. Reed recovered faster this time, patting him on the back. This time though, instead of being awkward, it was companionable. Two near-death experiences were really all it took to forge a bond, Comet noted.

 _I need to get into trouble more often!_


	5. Ambush

Lightning flashed, lighting up the sky with blinding hues, creating a striking contrast to the dark, desolate expanse below it. Comet shivered, edging closer to Reed. Images of the dreadwing from earlier played through his mind. Thousands of glimmering teeth, giant, razor sharp talons. And that blood-curdling screech… Reed, jumping in to save him, a rock glittering in his hand, dripping dark, crimson liquid.

He pressed against the cheetah and felt a paw fall across his back. He took a deep breath, forcing himself onwards. As the tower in the distance drew closer, a feeling of growing dread settled on him. Reed walked alongside him, seeming to droop under the weight of an impending doom he knew was coming, but was unable to stop. Comet knew his end was far from now, so far, in fact, he couldn't even begin to imagine it, but Reed… he looked like he was already there. His face was drawn and his skin, revealed now by the lack of fur, had a ghastly colour to it.

It wasn't he who needed the comfort; it was Reed. He nudged the cheetah's paw with his head, and he gently removed it, murmuring an apology, though the words lacked any real energy. But Comet shook his head, and grasping the paw gently in his mouth, he guided it to the cheetah's back. It was awkward and for several seconds they had to stop and wait, but eventually Comet decided he was satisfied.

Reed looked at the slightly slobbered on paw on his back, then gave Comet a bewildered look.

"You need it more than me," he said.

Reed looked at him for a moment more, his expression changing to dawning comprehension and then to the faintest of smiles. He nodded appreciatively, and they resumed walking. Reed had a new spring to his step, that little bit more energy returning to his limbs, though he still looked pale. His doom was unavoidable. Comet wondered once again how old he was. Right then, he seemed so old, but before, he had seemed like a fit young cheetah.

At long last, they reached Cynder's lair. Reed had paled to the point where he looked like a ghost, and Comet eyed him anxiously. After a moment though, he turned away, taking a few bounding steps forward.

"First one to the door wins!" he called to Reed over his shoulder.

"Wins what?"

Comet didn't respond, instead running faster. The cheetah smiled, then jogged after him. Being taller, Reed quickly caught up to him, and Comet put on an extra burst of speed. He almost expected the cheetah to reprimand him for wasting his energy, but Reed made no sign of doing so. He breathed a sigh of relief, though guilt worked at his gut. It was good to not have someone looking over his shoulder constantly, but the reason Reed wasn't being so protective anymore... he just wished it was for a better reason. He shouldn't have been so harsh.

Reed reached the door first, turning to smile at Comet. The younger dragon looked at him, huffing in annoyance. _Dammit._

"So, what do I win?"

"You get to open the door," Comet said cheerfully, giving the cheetah a grin.

He sighed. "I should have known it would be something along those lines."

"What were you expecting, gold?"

"Something like that."

Comet sniggered, and Reed went to push the giant double doors before them open. When his paw was just about to touch them, though, they opened of their own accord. They exchanged glances, and slowly walked inside.

"Aw man!" Comet groaned. "Now I have to give you something else."

Reed smirked, but quickly grew serious. "Be alert. Doors don't open themselves…" His words were ominous and haunting, seeming to hang in the air.

Comet breathed out, and heard it echo down hallways that branched from the room they now found themselves in.

The entrance of the lair was enormous; a double staircase led to the next floor and two sets of arched doors on either side of the room led to Ancestor's knew where. Chequered black and white tiles covered the floor, and as Comet stood on them, he was reminded of the stone-skating incident from the day before. He silently hoped they wouldn't slide apart. Beside him, Reed seemed to be eyeing the floor with equal uncertainty.

Then Comet glanced up and gasped. Suspended from the ceiling was a chandelier, giant, with over fifty lights on it, each light the size of his paw and crafted of a glowing blue crystal. The chandelier was attached to the centre of a domed ceiling covered with stained glass, which welcomed a blood-red light with every flash from outside. It was breathtaking. But the thing that made him gasp was not the intricacy. It was the sheer size of the space he was in. The roof had to be a whole kilometre away!

Solid, unyielding stone stretched all the way to the roof, and Comet searched for the telltale lines of joins in the rock. Soon though, he realised there were none. This had been carved, a giant rock that had been hollowed out and shaped into something extraordinary.

Reed seemed to share his thoughts. "Such an amazing place. It is a shame it belongs to the enemy. It's quite the masterpiece."

Comet nodded emphatically. Together, they set off across the space, heading first to a door on their left, as Reed had said, 'there might be food in there'.

A corridor stretched before them and they checked the first room. What they found was underwhelming: it was a plain room with a single bed and no other furniture. It looked like a place a slave would sleep, unfit for any other purpose. They left the room, checking each of the others in turn. They were all the same, a single bed in a dark, bland room.

Shrugging, they checked the next hallway over. This one was different, but just as uninteresting. Shower rooms, toilets – holes in the ground, more like it – and other basic things.

"Maybe there's nothing here after all," Reed sighed.

"But this place is huge! There has to be _something_ here," Comet protested.

The cheetah smirked. "You would think so."

Across the other side of the hall, they had more success. Instead of rooms or showers, they found kitchens. The pantries were empty though, either looted, used up, or both. Defeated, the two returned to the entrance and the double staircase.

Reed leaned against one of the banisters, resting for a moment, while Comet counted the stairs on both sides. He returned several minutes later, a small frown on his face. Reed laughed. Frowns looked funny on his face, more amusing than they were concerning.

"What is it?"

"They're uneven!" Comet replied.

"What do you mean, 'uneven'?"

"I mean, there're different amounts on each side. One side has fifty steps, the other side has forty-five."

The cheetah raised an eyebrow. "Sure you didn't miscount?"

Comet pouted, replying defensively, "I can count."

Reed raised a paw to placate him. "Alright, alright." He looked at the stairs. "It's strange they would make them that way. It couldn't have been an accident."

"Maybe they're just bad builders," Comet suggested.

"Maybe…" He stood up straight. "So, which one had less stairs?"

Comet pointed left. "That one."

"That one it is," Reed decided.

At the top of the stairs, Reed pretended to pant, looking back down the stairs they had climbed.

"Lucky we took the ones on the left. Imagine how tired I'd be if we took the other stairs?"

Comet looked at him in amusement. "Just as tired?"

"But you said there were more stairs on the other staircase. It has to be more tiring."

The blackened dragon snorted, then turned and began walking down the hallway. He didn't notice a dark flake chip from his hide, drifting to the floor. Nor did he notice Reed, who was watching the chip with interest, until he was farther down the hallway.

"Are you coming?"

The cheetah nodded and jogged to catch up.

The hall stretched onwards for several metres, then ended at a circular room. The two stepped onto the circle and began looking around.

"Looks like a dead e-" before he could finish, the ground beneath them began to slide upwards. Reed swore, looking up. A stone ceiling was above them. They were about to be crushed!

The two panicked, Reed searching around for a hidden switch, whilst Comet fell to the floor, holding his head in his paws, hoping that something would save him; he didn't want to be flattened.

Suddenly, the ceiling slid apart and the two found themselves on an open platform. They were at the top of one of the spires they had seen earlier. The space was open, gazing out across the wastelands.

Three other spires were arranged evenly around the one they stood on, each higher than the last, and all of them taller than the one they stood on. Comet noticed spindly bridges stretching between them, thin pieces of stone that looked treacherous to cross. He didn't have to worry about that – he could just fly between them – but Reed… he would have to risk the crossing, or not cross at all.

Comet pointed out the bridges. "Do you want me to go across alone? I don't know if they'll support your weight."

Reed looked at him amused. "What? Am I really that fat?" He looked down at himself. "I always thought I cut quite the striking figure…"

Comet looked at him stunned. What had happened to that cheetah he had first met. He had changed so much! Maybe he'd just warmed to him. He didn't seem that shy, but… who knows. He hadn't known him that long, really.

"No, really," Comet insisted.

"Don't worry Comet, I can make it. I'm light on my feet, and as long as we make it up there, we can make it back. I think I can jump down here from up there. Not the other way round though. That's too much to ask of anyone."

Comet nodded. If he said he could, who was he to say no?

Comet flew on ahead of Reed, quickly landing on a tower to their left. Reed made his way across the stone walkway after him, quick graceful steps carrying him across safely.

They nodded to each other, then began to explore the tower. There was nothing on the tower itself, and they wondered briefly if there was another moving floor in that tower. They explored the centre of the spire, but nothing stood out to them.

Defeated, they continued on to the next spire. They immediately knew this spire would be different. They weren't sure if that was a good thing, though. Bones littered the floor, from entire legs to chips, and a heavy scent hung in the air.

"I don't like this," Reed muttered.

Comet ignored him, bounding up to a nearby skull, he studied it for a moment.

"Would this make a good hat?" he asked.

Reed didn't look at him, continuing to analyse his surroundings. It was as if he thought there was something there. "No."

"But you didn't ev-" A shrill noise cut him off, and without warning, dreadwings fell from the ceiling. Comet dashed over to Reed, and they stood back to back. They were unarmed, helpless, trapped.

 _Go to your happy place. No dreadwings here, nope, none at all. It's just you and Reed, taking a leisurely – AH!_

The dreadwings pounced, unleashing ear-piercing sounds, leaving the two barely able to move. The beasts fell on the pair and they were lost in a mess of tumbling limbs. In the commotion, the dreadwings got in the way of themselves, unable to find their victims. For a heart-stopping moment, Comet found himself face-to-face with a dreadwing, but it was whisked away an instant later.

And then he saw it, sparkling on the ground: a silver disk. It looked so familiar…

 _The torture thing! I must be destined to have it._

He reached down and grabbed it, willing it to act faster. Reed had said it took hours, but maybe because he had worn it before it would activate faster. He heard the cheetah shout his name but barely heard him. They were both going to die and he knew it.

 _But if I can pretend to be dead, I might just survive!_

Comet reached up with a claw, grasping at the scales below his neck. Then he wrenched downward, opening a neat gash in his chest. It wasn't deep, but it was enough that, if he were to fall unconscious – for some unknown reason – he would look dead. He might actually make it out alive.

He noticed the disk start to glow blue. He couldn't breathe. Darkness shrouded his vision, dreadwings dancing around him like a parade of doom-bringers.

He heard Reed call his name again, telling him to stay strong. They would survive. He promised. And then he slipped into darkness, falling away.

 _Reed knows what he's doing._

* * *

There was a voice calling Comet. Gently, it pulled him up, telling him to look around. The voice guided his eyes, showing him somewhere he had never seen before. Grass surrounded him on all sides, mud and bogs everywhere grass wasn't. Trees stretched upwards, almost obscuring the sky. Beams of sunlight broke through the thick canopy in places, revealing blooming flowers of every hue. Small lights danced through the brush, like little fairies.

 _"_ _Come to me,"_ a female voice commanded. _"I'm waiting."_

Comet blinked and it was gone. Cold stone pressed against his cheek and he felt something wet and sticky on his side. He shivered, and rolled onto his stomach. Around him, dreadwings were heaped; he tried to count them, but soon gave up. In front of him, a small fire burned. He wasn't sure what the fuel was; he didn't want to know. There was no sign of Reed.

 _What happened?_ He thought tiredly.

He felt his head begin to tilt forward and he prepared to drift back off once more. There were too many questions. What had happened to the dreadwings? Was Reed alright?

A crack snapped him to attention and he looked up to find the cheetah standing before him, pure murder burning in his eyes. He was in trouble. Before he could brace himself, a harsh tongue-lashing fell upon him.

"You fool!" the cheetah exclaimed. "You're lucky to have survived. I barely survived myself and I was awake! At least I knew what was happening; you could have died without even knowing." Reed paced back and forth, huffing to himself and muttering curses.

Comet paused before he spoke. "…I'm, sorry." His words were uncertain, as if he didn't know he truly was. He felt he should be, but at the same time… he thought he had done the right thing.

"Sorry?" the cheetah repeated. "Sorry doesn't cut it." He glared at Comet then looked away disgusted, plonking himself down beside the fire. He didn't look at Comet again for several moments, in which the dragon sat in silence. He didn't know what he could say. Too much had happened. Reed breathed deeply, then spoke once more. His words were no longer angry, just tired.

"What were you thinking?"

Comet replied, his voice lacking its usual energy. He felt like a scorned child, put in his place by an elder. "I thought I could pretend to be dead. I thought it was my best chance."

Reed appraised him for a moment, noting the injury below his neck. "Not half-bad an idea, but look around Comet. Do you see any dead bodies? They would have eaten you, at the very least, maybe thrown you off the tower." Comet shuddered, and Reed continued, "Your best chance was to fight, your _only_ chance, was to fight. Instead you backed out like a coward."

Comet stared into the flames, and still Reed didn't stop. He could barely remember the last time he'd been given a stern talking to. It felt like so long ago. He'd begun to think he no longer needed one. He must have been wrong.

"While you were out cold doing… whatever it was you were doing, I was up here, battling dreadwings, fifty of them to one of me. You could have helped, breathed a little fire, slashed a couple with your claws, maybe used your tail blade… Instead, I had to fumble around for something, praying that none of the dreadwings would escape the chaos and attack me. Luckily for me, _both of us_ , The dreadwings were unorganised. They were climbing all over themselves, getting in their own ways. Eventually I found something, I don't even know what it was. I think it was a shattered leg; I managed to get a few of the dreadwings…"

Comet looked at Reed, noticing for the first time a gash in his chest, blood oozing out, staining his chest. It didn't look very big, but it was clearly causing him pain. It must have been deep.

"You fought off fifty dreadwings, alone?"

"I fought over one hundred grublins on my own. Fifty dreadwings was a walk in the park."

It was clearly a jest and Comet looked at Reed, guilt pumping in his veins. Reed's wound caught his attention once more. He had messed up, and no amount of joking from the cheetah could make him relax.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

Reed didn't respond straight away, and stood up. He walked over to Comet, and kneeled down, placing a paw on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Comet. We all make mistakes sometimes."

 _I need to get into trouble more often._

His thoughts from earlier returned to him, and he felt his heart flush more guilt through his body. How naïve he had been. But he knew better now. No more making mistakes, no more seeking out trouble. And when he got into trouble next time, he would make it out himself. He didn't need Reed to save him.

He looked the cheetah square in the eyes. He didn't grasp him, but his words had the same effect as a vice, joining them, one to the other.

"We're in this _together_. We _will_ survive this together."


	6. Lost

Comet stumbled along, sliding across the loose rocks on the ground. He felt something cut into his paw but kept on going. He heard some rocks tumble across the ground behind him and knew that Reed was following. He had been walking all morning, heading in roughly the same direction, though he didn't know what direction that was. All he knew was that there was something drawing him that way. Some sort of compulsion to head wherever it was he was going.

Reed hadn't spoken for a long time. The last thing he had said was his name, telling him to stop wandering off on his own. According to the cheetah, he had kept drifting away, always heading in the same direction. He didn't think he was, though. Maybe it was Reed going in the wrong direction?

A small boulder blocked his path and, with a small burst of speed, Comet bounded to the top, his claws scrabbling against the stone. He stood there a moment, observing the horizon, then turned around to check on Reed. The cheetah wasn't there.

"Reed?" he called. There was no response.

 _Where'd he go? I could have sworn he was right behind me…_

"Reed, where are you?" Still no response.

Abruptly, a shriek cut through his thoughts. Reed wasn't there, but he wasn't alone, either. Comet took a step back, a step in the direction he had been going before he stopped. He felt his back paw slip off the boulder and scampered forward quickly, memories of the ravine he had fallen into resurfacing. He glanced about warily, searching for any sign of life. Reed was out there somewhere, but so was the enemy.

A screech was all the warning he got before a dreadwing fell upon him, smashing into his back and pinning him to the ground. Comet struggled, tossing about and trying to dislodge the beast, but it was too late. It raised one of its wings, prepared to slash down with its sharp wing-blade.

 _No! Not again. I_ will _get out of this!_

He wasn't helpless. He was a dragon. Dragons didn't need someone to save them every time they got in trouble. Bracing himself, he wrenched sideways and the dreadwing, unbalanced without both wings pinning him, was sent tumbling off of him. He spun round and spat a glob of fire at the beast, catching it on the side. It screeched at him in pain.

For a while, they exchanged blows, the dreadwing swooping and trying to score him with its sharp talons and Comet firing jets of flame in return. Eventually, he managed to land a lucky shot on a wing, and the dreadwing fell. Comet hopped excitedly on the spot. He'd done it. He'd beaten a dreadwing on his own!

His victory was short lived. A cacophony of screeches erupted behind him, and he spun round, just in time to see a flock of dreadwings flying towards him. Adrenaline flushed through him and he turned away from the dreadwings, beginning to run the other way. He reached the edge of the boulder and leaped off of it, stretching out his wings. Flying was always faster than walking. But just as he felt his paws leave the ground, something tugged at his gut, slowly dragging down his length. He looked below him to find the dreadwing – one of its wings hanging limp – pulling a talon through his chest.

Comet gagged, his wings flapping out of time with one another and soon falling limp at his sides. He felt himself tip, beginning to fall, but barely noticed. He struck the ground, landing heavily on his shoulder and felt the wind get knocked out of him.

He heard screeches, drawing closer, closer, closer. More dreadwings fell upon him, too many to count, though he could barely make them out anyway. His vision blurred and he felt sensations hitting him, like soft punches. His eyes drifted shut, though he remained conscious.

Despite his situation, his only thoughts were to wonder where Reed was. He couldn't have just disappeared, so how had they become separated?

 _Maybe he'll come to save me like every other time…_ Comet paused for a moment. He didn't need someone to save him. He could make it out alone.

 _I can do this._

Fire began to flood through him, a glow shining from his scales, and shrieks reached his ears. He felt the dreadwings draw away from him and he chuckled internally. His fire fury wasn't that scary, was it? Dreadwings were awfully easy to frighten. His eyes snapped open and his wings along with them, a sheet of fire shooting – somehow – from his scales and scorching the beasts. He watched with interest as a yellow tongue of flame wove through the dreadwings and then froze.

That wasn't a flame. That was Reed; he'd found him! But Reed was caught in the range of his fury. Comet willed the flames to redirect around Reed, begging them not to harm him. The scorching flames sped onwards, drawing closer to the cheetah. He wasn't going to make it.

 _No! Don't hurt him you stupid flames!_

But his protest went unheard. It was too late. He saw Reed fall, though no sound reached his ears. He'd gone deaf by then. He felt his body fall to the ground, but the jarring impact was lost on him. He dashed to the cheetah's side, dropping to the ground and gripping him by the shoulders, shaking him gently and commanding him to be alright. He had to be!

"Reed!" Comet shouted. His hearing was starting to return to him. He could make out the sound of the dreadwings in their death throes, probably cursing his name in the grunted language.

"Hey, Comet." The cheetah coughed and spluttered, bloodied spittle shooting onto Comet's face. He barely noticed. This wasn't the end. He was sure of it.

"Reed, you're going to be alright. I'll… I'll find something." Comet looked around anxiously. There had to be something to help him. Water, a bandage, anything!

Reed lifted a paw, his arm trembling. He gripped Comet by the shoulder and, even then, his grip was like a vice. "It's too late for me… Comet." He coughed, and Comet stared at him, unable to look away, even though he wished he could. He couldn't stand seeing him like this.

"Reed, you're going to be fine!" Comet protested. "You have to be. I can't lose you too!" And finally he couldn't take it anymore, watching as Reed slowly slipped away. He looked at the ground, tracing a crack and trying to stay calm.

"Comet." Reed gripped him as hard as he could, but his grip was failing. Even as he spoke his voice grew weaker. "Comet, look at me!" Comet raised his eyes and found himself caught in the cheetah's gaze. Tears ran unnoticed from his eyes, dripping onto Reed's chest.

"You are _not_ losing me. I will always be there Comet. Remember that. Everyone is still there."

"But you're not, Reed. We both know it. You're. You're going to… to…" He couldn't finish his sentence, but still refused to completely break down. He had to stay strong, as strong as he could. If not for himself, then for Reed. "And it's all my fault."

"I will always be there Comet." The cheetah panted for a moment, struggling to catch his breath. "And… don't blame yourself for this. It wasn't your fault."

"But it was, we both know it."

"No, Comet. You had no other choice. You should be proud of yourself. You beat so many… dreadwings, all on your own."

"Bu-"

"Promise me something, Comet." Comet nodded dumbly. Anything to make him happy. Anything before he… left. "Promise me, that you'll go on. Stay strong Comet, be that happy little dragon I know. You'll find home out there somewhere."

The cheetah gasped and his eyes clenched shut. Comet felt his grip slacken and looked at Reed in horror.

"Reed? Reed wake up! You're… You're still there, aren't you?" Comet could feel more tears threatening to burst free, and he could hear the shakiness in his voice.

When he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. "I'm still here Comet. I'm always here…"

Comet heard him exhale one last time, then his arm fell limp, dropping onto his blackened, chest, joining Comet's tears as they formed a small pool. At last, Comet could no longer hold back his tears and for a second time they spilled forth. He didn't know how long he sat there.

He didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore.

At some point, he shakily rose to his feet, glancing about at the destruction he had caused. He felt his legs tremble, and they gave way beneath him. He had killed Reed, there was no denying it. How could he just leave; walk away from what he had done?

 _I have to keep going… I can't stay here forever._

He forced himself to stand once more, but his legs still wobbled. _Stand straight damn it!_ He glared at his legs, daring them to keep trembling. They did and he huffed to himself.

A familiar tug prodded at him and he looked at the horizon. He knew where he had to go and he was determined to get there. It would be hard without Reed, but he could do it. He'd managed to survive Tall Plains – safe, harmless Tall Plains – on his own, so surely he could survive the harsh lands of Concurrent Skies.

His first steps were slow and halting, but he soon settled into a steady rhythm, each step carrying him closer to his destination. Reed was behind him, and with every step he took, he felt Reed drawing further away from him.

I will always be there… _If only that were true._

He didn't know what was around him; he'd given up counting the cuts he'd gotten from the hard rocks and he didn't even know where he was going. All that mattered was that he was going the right way. Everything would sort itself out eventually.

There was a sound in the distance, enough to disturb Comet's thoughts, but not enough to catch his attention. Another sound came, and this time he paused. There were dreadwings about.

 _I hope they find me just so I can... I can yell at them or something! They should pay._ He thought to himself. _It's all their fault. Reed wouldn't have been in danger if they hadn't attacked me._

And then he saw it. The edge of Concurrent Skies, the point where it had broken away from the Dragon Realms on this side. But his attention was elsewhere. Floating above the edge, just out of reach, a glowing light shone. A perfect sphere of white light, like all the stars he had looked at so long.

Despite his situation, he felt, somewhere inside of him, something awaken. Here in front of him, was an actual star. How many people could brag that they had stood within arm's reach of a star?

 _Reed would have loved this._ Comet thought. _He always loved stars…_

Carefully, he reached out to grab the star. Maybe he could keep it as a memento, a way of remembering Reed. Maybe it was his way of showing he was still there? It looked so fragile, like a crystal ball, and he didn't want to scratch it by accident.

As he reached out for it though, he felt himself lifting from the ground and realised he had left Concurrent Skies' gravity. He was floating in space once more. He felt his paw connect with the orb, and energy coursed through him. A brilliant flash obscured his vision and the world went dark.

* * *

Comet stirred, but his eyes remained closed. He groaned, not wanting to wake up just yet. He felt a rock digging into his chest and grumbled. _Stupid rocks._ He clenched a paw, feeling it dig into the… grass?

His eyes shot open, and he found himself sitting in a lively clearing. He only now noticed animals chattering in the forest about him and for a moment he couldn't make sense of what was happening. Moonlight filtered through the trees, illuminating patches of flowers and large pools of mud.

 _Am I in a… swamp? And how did I get here?_

He looked about, looking for nothing and anything at the same time. Flowers, grass, trees… It was all too much. To come from a lifeless wasteland of cold, harsh stone, and suddenly find himself in a lively forest was too drastic a change to comprehend. The last thing he remembered was touching that star-looking thing and a brilliant flash of light.

He stood up, pacing around the clearing slowly. Reed would have loved it here. Soft grass under his paws and a wild mess of trees and dangerous bogs to traipse through. There were even animals to hunt somewhere out there, though he was yet to see any.

He stopped, looking at the ground. Reed wasn't there and he never would be. The sooner he accepted that the better. Taking a deep breath, Comet raised his eyes once more, walking towards the edge of the clearing.

He paused, standing on the point where moonlight met shade, and for a moment he was reminded of Tall Plains. At least it was more alive here. Then, he took another step forward into the darkness of the trees. It was like stepping into the next part of his life. First his life in the Dragon Realms, then his short time with Reed, and now… he would find out.

As he walked, the calm atmosphere of the swamp, and the sudden change from Tall Plains, was enough to distract him. Reed was always there, a nagging thought in the back of his mind, constantly whispering doubts that ate away at him, but the life around him was so contagious, sapping away his grief, filling him with greater purpose. In the swamp, it wasn't about any one life, it was about a whole network of lives that worked together. With so many living beings to share in his sorrow, he felt, to his own surprise, more at peace than he had been for weeks.

Then, as he observed a vine that had snaked its way up a deciduous tree, he felt himself sinking into the ground. He quickly backpedalled, a panicked cry escaping him before he could stop it.

 _The ground is trying to eat me!_

He looked at the patch of grass before him, trying to work out why he had almost been eaten alive by it, and realised there was no grass at all, just a pool of mud. He didn't know how deep it was, and he'd almost found out the… sinking and drowning way.

 _Stupid mud._

Comet stepped around the pool, continuing on his exploration of the swamp. Honestly, he had no idea where he was going. He was lost and, when he thought about it, he felt it was rather fitting. It was a true representation of exactly how he had been for weeks. Lost, with no idea where home was anymore, or if home even existed somewhere out there, wandering aimlessly and hoping that, one day, he would find somewhere he could settle down.

And he didn't mind being lost. It meant he could look around, absorbing the scenery and trying to keep his thoughts away from Concurrent Skies. He couldn't think of the place anymore without shivering. Such a dark, desolate place. It was no wonder Cynder had used the place as her lair.

He knew that sooner or later he would have to come to terms with what had happened there, but for now, he was content to leave it be. And maybe, if he didn't think about it for long enough, he could convince himself it had never happened at all.

Suddenly the dense brush around him thinned, opening into a small glade. It was similar to the clearing he had been in before, but there was something oddly familiar about it that he hadn't noticed in the previous clearing. It felt almost as if he had been there before, though he knew that was impossible. He didn't remember ever going near a swamp.

Across the glade, thick vines hung from the trees, creating a sense of privacy. It seemed like the perfect place to spend the night. Soft grass to lay on, plenty of twigs strewn across the ground for a small fire if he got cold, and the vine curtain making it harder to find.

He ran to the centre of the clearing, coming to such an abrupt halt he left grooves in the ground, and glanced about. Lights danced beneath the trees to his right, weaving around one another in a hypnotic dance. He watched for a full minute, unable to look away, before he realised where he was. He _had_ been here before. In his vision.

Now that he could see the lights with his own eyes, they made even less sense to him. They weren't dragonflies or, as far as he could tell, even living things at all. They looked to be glowing lights and nothing more.

Intrigued, he walked closer to the strange lights, trying to work out what they could be. The lights fell still and Comet froze. Something about their sudden pause was intimidating, almost as if they were threatening him, telling him not to come any closer. He stared for a moment, then burst out laughing.

 _Floating lights can't tell me what to do!_

He took another step forward, and the lights surrounded him. He squeezed his eyes shut in terror.

 _Okay, okay! They can!_

But when, after several moments, nothing happened, he opened an eye cautiously. The lights were arrayed in a ring around him, making no sign that they were going to move. Both of his eyes opened and he relaxed a little. The lights began to spin around him, weaving about once more in their strange way.

The lights flashed, seeming to blink at random, though Comet doubted that was the case. There was likely a complex pattern behind it. His vision began to blink in time with the lights and he wobbled on the spot.

 _Ahh! Eyes, stop it!_

He rubbed his eyes, closing them for a second. When they opened once more, though, the flashing in his vision was still there. He felt everything spin around him and everything turned blue.

Comet glanced about. The floating lights had vanished, but his world wasn't right. A blue haze had settled on everything and it was hard for him to tell one tree apart from the next. On the other side of the glade from him, shadows swirled. He wanted to look away, but he was scared of what might happen if he did.

So he watched as the shadows grew, forming into a figure of darkness. Legs grew from the murky black, wings sprouting from an unformed back. A blob extended from the dark mass, curved horns extending from its top. Soon, a full grown dragon - easily twice his height - stood before him, his yellow eyes observing Comet with a mixture of interest and cunning.

Though his world was stained blue, the purple tinge of the dragon's scales was undeniable and Comet gasped. The dragon chuckled in response; a low, grating sound that frightened him more than comforted.

"I see you recognise me."

"M-Malefor?" Comet took an involuntary step backwards.

"Indeed." Malefor took a step forward, matching Comet, and brought his head down to be level with Comet's. "I don't have long, dragon. Holding dragon time is harder than you could possibly know."

"Is that why the world is so bl-"

"Yes! Now shut up so I can finish!" Comet fell over. Malefor was scary, but to hear him shout was a whole new thing. "I hope, dragon, that you weren't stupid enough to think you survived by a miracle."

"Survived what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb."

Comet thought for a moment. He was talking about the destruction of the world, wasn't he? But how else could he have survived that? A miracle was the only thing that made sense!

"I see you've caught on, judging by that dumb look on your face. Now then… You survived because I wanted you to."

"But why would y-"

"Don't interrupt me!" Comet's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. Malefor snorted, twin streams of fire shooting from his nostrils. The ground in front of Comet caught and he quickly patted it down, keeping his eyes trained on the purple dragon so he wouldn't seem rude. Malefor only glared.

"Now. If there aren't going to be any more interruptions." He looked pointedly at Comet, then began to pace back and forth. "You survived for a reason. You likely heard the rumours about an insane dragon bent on destroying the world. The rumours weren't actually that far off. The only thing is, I didn't want to _destroy_ the world. Not entirely anyway. All I wanted was a clean slate to start fresh. The world was filled with old, senile dragons and filthy apes. It was time I gave the world a second chance. A chance to rise from the ashes of its predecessor."

Malefor stopped pacing, stopping in front of Comet. He looked into the purple dragon's eyes, deciding immediately that he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.

"And that is where you come in, Comet. You would be the father of the next age of dragons and I, the ruler who led dragons back from extinction."

Comet looked at him and blinked. Before he could stop himself, he spoke.

"You're insane!"

Comet balked, looking off into the forest around him. He expected to be smote any second, but instead he heard… laughing? He looked at the purple dragon incredulously.

"You have nerve, dragon," Malefor said. "Good. You'll do just fine, I think. I'll be back again soon to show you your new home. Until then, don't die. I don't want to have to find another dragon."

Then, as suddenly as he had appeared, the purple dragon shrank back into the shadows.

The blue tint fell away from the world and Comet found himself standing in a green clearing once more. The lights were gone.

He shook his head, plonking down on the grass.

 _Malefor… He's the reason I'm alive._ Comet snorted. _Yeah, right._

Taking one last look around, Comet closed his eyes. Too much had happened too quickly for his taste. Reed, arriving in the swamp, Malefor appearing. He needed time to adjust, to let his mind catch up. Malefor had said something about coming back for him.

Maybe he could answer all of his questions, too. And if he said no, Comet could probably threaten to… to… He sighed.

As his mind drifted off, Comet's paw clenched the grass beneath him. Reed wasn't there and, though he had tried to deny it, tried to tell himself he might have been alright, he couldn't deny the truth. Reed wasn't there. He was all alone.

On his own again.


	7. The Swamp

It was a bright sunny day. Flowers were in full bloom and wildlife bounded through the bush. The trees swayed in a gentle breeze and as Comet strolled along a small, grassy path, he couldn't help but smile at his surroundings. It was so blissful. So perfect.

Then he blinked and it all vanished. The wildlife had never been there to begin with. There was no wind to move the trees. There was no sunlight, only the dim moonlight. It had been difficult for him to accept, but he had noticed when he had awoken that the moons seemed to be dimmer than they had once been. Those great orbs he looked to every night for guidance no longer quite the same. He wondered briefly if Reed had noticed and made a silent prayer that he hadn't. To… go, knowing that the world wasn't what it had once been, that even the stars themselves were dimmed, would be hard. Horrible even.

And it was all Comet's fault. If he hadn't gone off on his own, even accidentally. If he had paid that little bit more attention. Not gotten into trouble in the first place… Reed would have been there with him.

Heavy with guilt, Comet continued, trying to ignore the bleak landscape around him. He had tried to fool himself all… morning, but now that he knew what was really there, it was impossible to deny. He saw a rock at his feet and took a swing at it, marvelling for a short moment at how mundane the action was. Before the world had gone kaboom, he would have been kicking rocks all the time. Now, such a normal action seemed so strange to him.

After several more steps, he caught up to the rock once more and picked it up. He weighed it in a paw and lobbed it ahead of himself, watching it arc into the bushes in front of him. He smiled to himself.

 _That's it! Stupid world ending and purple dragons. I could have been doing this for days! What else have I been missing out on?_

He turned about on the spot, searching for something else he could do. Maybe he could climb a tree? Before he could take another step though, he heard a yell.

"Stay back!"

Suddenly alert, Comet stopped and looked around. Were they talking to him? When nothing happened, he crept slowly towards the noise. He didn't know what was yelling out, but whatever it was, it might not be friendly. It could also be friendly though. He had to know.

 _Totally not imagining things. Totally not imagining things…_

With a single paw he swept aside a low-hanging branch in front of him. Beyond the leaves, the swamp opened onto a small, stagnant pool. Across the water, a huge beast stood, huffing and pawing at the ground in the moonlight. It looked like a giant brown pig, with two giant curved horns jutting from its head. It looked able to flatten him just by sitting down.

He heard panicked sounds coming from the other side of it, but the beast was blocking his view of what might be making the noise. It sounded weak and pitiful, but at the same time muffled. Almost as if the creature was trying to hide its fright, but was failing miserably. He had to commend them for trying, anyway. It was more than most would be able to manage in their position.

He snuck around the edge of the clearing, trying to get a view around the nearly house-sized monster. He was certain it wasn't quite that big, but it was certainly close. Around the hulk, he caught a glimpse of orange, a splotch of colour in stark contrast to the leafy background.

Then, suddenly, the creature came into view. It was a cheetah, clearly female. She was shorter than Reed had been and covered with bright orange fur. He hadn't seen Reed's fur, so it was hard to compare. He saw her reach out behind her, fumbling for something. He wondered what she was looking for, but when he saw her hand wrap around a stray branch, realised she didn't know herself.

"I said stay back!" She waved the branch at the giant pig. "I have a branch and I'm not afraid to use it!"

The beast froze, no longer pawing the ground and eyeing her carefully. Then, with a quick bob, it ate half of the branch. The feline stared at the twig in her hands for a moment, blinking dazedly. It finally sunk in and, with a squeal, she bolted, darting into the bush. The beast gave chase, trampling shrubs as it went and knocking trees so hard they were partially uprooted. Comet followed after, trying to stay out of sight.

A roar erupted in front of him and he slid to a stop, stumbling on a loose rock beneath his paws. In front of him, the giant pig-like beast was standing, hunched over its prey.

 _Not again! I won't let it happen!_

Without even thinking about what he was about to do, Comet shot a stream of fire at the monster. It cried out, twisting around slowly to face him. Comet felt himself being overrun with fear, shrinking down before the giant animal. His legs quivered and he struggled to stay upright.

 _Must… Stay… Strong._

Comet forced his legs to straighten. Raising his head and staring straight into the beast's giant eyes.

"You don't scare me, pig!"

It snorted, taking a step towards him.

"I'm going to cook you alive."

 _And eat you. You look like enough food to last a week._

With a tremendous roar, the monster leaped forward, rumbling towards him faster than he had expected. For such a large animal, it moved with surprising agility. Comet rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being trampled.

The beast spun on the spot, pawing at the ground, readying itself to charge him once more. Comet grunted as he pulled himself up from the dirt.

The beast charged again and Comet rolled to the side once more. He felt the wind as the monster went by and his heart pounded harder. He had to finish this fight or he would be crushed!

The next time the beast ran at him, he met it head on, rolling under it, between its front legs. He landed on his back, looking up at the monster's underside. Taking a deep breath, he unleashed a blast of flames from his maw. Fire filled his vision, and his ears were filled with a monotonous roar. He couldn't tell if it was from the beast or his flames.

He shut his mouth, cutting off the fire in his throat, just in time to see the monster falling towards him. Somehow, he knew there wasn't enough time for him to escape. He was going to be crushed. As his doom fell towards him, he, strangely, thought of the cheetah he had just saved.

 _At least I did right by someone._

* * *

Shaking. Being rocked about gently. Someone calling to him. He opened his eyes to an indistinct world, everything blurred and smudged like a bad oil painting. He saw green, brown, a smudge of orange. It was dark out. Night must have fallen.

His mind slowly shifted into gear. His vision sharpened. He saw a face above him. He felt something wet on his side, the ground beneath him slick with a dark liquid.

"Are you alright?" The voice was definitely female. It was too gentle, too comforting, to be male. He shook his head vaguely, looking around. Night hadn't fallen. It was always this dark now. It always would be.

"Just sit still. You'll feel better soon."

"What happened?" he croaked, trying to sit up despite her words. She pushed him back down gently, resting a paw on his shoulder. There was a pause before she spoke.

"You were almost crushed…" Comet froze, turning to look at her intently as she continued. "You set the giant swamp pig on fire and then it just… fell. There wasn't enough time for me to get you out." Comet saw her shaking. They didn't even know each other, he was yet to learn her name, and yet she still seemed so affected by his near miss.

 _Giant swamp pig… So that's what it was. I hope there aren't any more of them anywhere._

"And then. You were here, next to me. I don't know what happened, but you're lucky to be alive right now."

Comet looked away into the trees. He had killed his only friend, even though it was accidentally, and he had almost died. His usual energy was long, long gone. He had doubts it would ever come back. He felt the feline shuffle next to him and turned to look at her once more. She still looked down. Maybe changing the topic would be a good idea?

"So…" He broke the momentary silence. "How did you end up here?"

The cheetah smiled warmly at him. He smiled back.

 _Good move, me._

"I was always here, I guess. I came here on a trip with…" She trailed off and Comet cringed. Maybe not the right topic. She pressed on. "I came here on a trip with some friends of mine. We got separated on the first day and then, well, the world ended."

The way she put it was so matter of fact, so blunt, that Comet was shocked. How could she put it that plainly?

"You sound so… unfazed by all this." He waved about with a paw to emphasise his point.

She nodded. "I guess it's just sunk in by now."

Comet knew there was more to it than that, but didn't push her. He barely knew her; it wasn't the right time to ask such a personal question. He went with something less private for his next question.

"Where have you been staying?" She opened her mouth to respond, but Comet continued. "And what's your name? And what have you been eating?"

She chuckled to herself. "I'll show you now; follow me." She stood up, offering him a paw. "Just be careful, we'll go slow. I don't want you hurting yourself again."

"I'm sure I'm fine," Comet said. "It's not like I was actually crushed or anything… And you still didn't answer my other questions." Comet noticed the feline's silence and turned to face her. He saw the sympathy in her expression.

"You might not have been crushed, but you were definitely injured. You must have landed on a rock or something; there's a nasty cut on your back. You're lucky to have both your wings, it's right next to one of them.

Comet strained to glance at his back, just able to spot a patch of red against his black scales.

"Dumb rock," he grumbled to himself.

The cheetah didn't seem to hear him. "And my name is Laurel."

"What about my other question?" he asked.

"I'll explain on the way. We'll be walking slowly, what with your injury and all, so we'll have plenty of time to talk."

Comet nodded. She made a good point. Slowly, they began to walk, heading off into the dense swamp. This time as he walked, Comet paid close attention to his surroundings. He didn't want to encounter any other massive, dangerous, bone-crushing beasties. After they had settled into a comfortable pace, Laurel began to talk.

"I've been here for… a while. It's hard to judge time at the moment. There's no one else here, just me. Or, at least, I haven't found anyone else." She ducked under a branch, then held it up for Comet to get past. He nodded gratefully and jumped past her. His back flared with pain and he glared at it. He heard Laurel tut. "Ease up a bit… little dragon."

"Comet."

"Comet? That's a nice name." She smiled at him again and took the lead, continuing on to a destination only she knew where. "Anyway, it's only me here. I've been hunting for food, there are lots of animals around if you look. I was hunting that swamp pig a moment ago, but I missed my shot. Throwing rocks is harder than firing arrows…" She looked away abashedly, then continued. As she resumed, Comet had to wonder why she would be hunting for food. Didn't the female cheetahs usually gather berries and fruits while the males hunted? Maybe she came from a different sort of tribe? He shrugged to himself. He could always ask her later.

While dodging around quagmires of mud and low-hanging branches, Laurel told Comet about where she had been staying – a large hollow in the trunk of a giant tree – and about what she had been doing to pass the time. She had swum in a river, climbed trees, hunted for food, tried weaving baskets – none of which had succeeded; it was something her mother could do, but she never could – and throwing stones at small targets she had made. To Comet, it all sounded rather bland. He would have… what? He most likely would have done the same things she had done in her position.

Suddenly, Laurel came to a stop, gesturing to a tree beside her. Comet looked at the tree, following its trunk upwards. He continued to crane his head back, taking in its enormity when, before he could react, he lost his balance and fell over backwards. Above him, a giant canopy of leaves blotted out the starlit sky. A canopy from one tree; one giant tree.

The feline laughed. "We're here."

Comet lay stunned for a moment, then burst into hysterical laughter. He hated to admit it to himself, but he had just been knocked over by a tree, without the tree even needing to move. How hadn't he noticed such a large tree before he was right next to it? He didn't know. He hoped the inside was as large as the outside. Laurel had said the hollow was big.

A paw entered his vision and Comet allowed himself to be pulled back up again. Part way to his feet though, his back flared again. He groaned and Laurel studied him closely.

"Come inside, I'll make you a bed so you can lie down."

Comet was led to an opening at the base of the tree. A row of vines covered the entry and she swept them aside, revealing an open interior. It was dark inside, but being eternally night outside, Comet's eyes quickly adjusted to the gloom. There was a small pile of leaves in a far corner, a large brown pelt laying neatly over the top. It looked very warm.

The rest of the space was fairly plain. A stack of food along the left wall, some assorted pieces in another corner and, in the centre of the space, a pile of twigs surrounded by a ring of small stones. Lighting a fire in a tree couldn't be the best idea, but the tree was still standing so it couldn't be that bad.

Laurel led him to a spot next to the bed, telling him to sit there for a moment. She made her way to the assorted items corner, picking from the jumble a black pelt. She came back and passed it to him.

"Are you alright to sleep here for the night?"

Comet nodded. "It's more comfortable than sleeping on rocks."

Laurel gave him a questioning look, concern flashing across her face. "You've been sleeping on rocks?"

"Yeah. I just came from Concurrent Skies. Rocks were all I could find."

"Concurrent Skies," Laurel breathed. "You're lucky to be alive right now. That place is dangerous."

Comet's thoughts turned to Reed. He saw the flames rushing after him and held back a sob. Reed had saved him so many times. And what an ironic way to go; killed by the very dragon you were trying to save. "I know I am."

They descended into a comfortable silence and, in that moment, Comet felt completely at peace. He wasn't alone anymore. He had someone else he could spend time with; someone else to brighten the dark void. He hadn't been alone long but in this ruined world… it felt like eternity. With Laurel, everything would be just fine. Here in the Swamp, what could go wrong?


	8. Happy Hunting

The swamp. A muddy, dark place, destined to be lit only by moonlight for the rest of eternity. And yet here Comet was, admiring its beauty. The sparkling lakes, the sandy beaches – quicksand, but sand nonetheless – the tall trees. Even the animals were spectacular, albeit dangerous.

Strangest of all to Comet, was that he suddenly found the darkness comforting. Not being able to see as far, his world felt smaller, more secure. He couldn't see the sharp-clawed, thousand-teethed monsters prowling around him, eying him hungrily. It was just him, Laurel, and the water.

And where he was, lying in the shallows, Laurel on her back beside him, he felt entirely at peace. Nothing could make that moment better, except perhaps a little sunshine. The world was dark these days, but it was still undiminished. It amazed him that he could have this moment after all the hardships he had suffered. The whole world had been destroyed for Ancestors' sakes, and yet here he was relaxing.

Laurel spoke, breaking their short silence. "I wonder… What if we're the last survivors?"

Comet thought for a moment, remembering a time from long ago, a time that felt like a dream. Drifting through space, holding tight to Reed. He hugged himself, curling slightly inward. Why did he have to lose Reed? Then he continued thinking, slowly calming once more. He remembered the oasis in space, the orchard, the small huts with smoke curling from their stone chimneys.

"We aren't. There are others out there."

Laurel turned to look at him closely. "You sound so sure."

"I saw them myself." For a moment, Comet felt his old energy return to him, felt a giddiness overtake him. They weren't the only ones left! And then it left him, harsh reality returning. Reed was gone. The Realms were gone. It was him against the world. And it was all Malefor's fault.

Suddenly, he didn't care what that traitor had said. He didn't care that Malefor was the reason he was alive. That murderer destroyed his home, took his friends and family from him. He would seek revenge if it was the last thing he did.

"Comet? Are you alright?" Laurel's voice broke through to him and he shook his head.

"Yeah… I'm alright." His mind was made up. He would stay here for now, but sooner or later he would hunt Malefor down. He would make him pay. The most powerful dragon to ever live would be no match for his wrath.

Laurel eyed him concernedly. "Alright," she said slowly. "If you say so."

Comet nodded and slowly got up. A mischievous grin tugged at his mouth. He curled his paw, then flung it sideways, a large wave of water rushing at the force, washing right over Laurel. The water died down to reveal her shocked face.

She coughed and glared at him, a rebellious smile forming despite her best efforts. "You're dead, Comet."

With a yell, she charged at him, her paws trailing in the water behind her. She swept upwards sending a large arc of water crashing down on him.

Comet's smile doubled and a fierce water battle began. Deep down, he knew he would lose, but he didn't care. His energy was back and he revelled in the feeling. The feeling that, if he sat still, he would explode. It was the most amazing feeling to him and in his current mood, he felt he could walk over Malefor himself without breaking a sweat.

The battle was short but intense, and in the end, Comet found himself stuck on his back in the sand, pinned down by the shoulders by Laurel who stood triumphantly over him.

"Looks like I win this one, Comet," she teased.

He pouted. "Aw man! That's unfair. You're older."

"And you're a fire-breathing dragon," Laurel retorted.

"And you're a cheetah who can… throw rocks!"

With a snort, Laurel released his shoulders, pulling him back up. He gave her a smile and she returned it.

"Is your back alright?"

Comet glanced over his shoulder. There was a small patch on his back that hadn't quite healed yet, but it didn't hurt. "Yep," he chirped.

As he turned away, he couldn't help but notice the change in his scales. He might have been imagining it, but he could have sworn they looked lighter, more colourful than they had been not all too long ago. Was the black washing away?

She nodded. "That's good. I don't want to hurt you by accident." Laurel paused for a moment before continuing. Comet couldn't help but notice the sparkle in her eyes. "I just saw some animals nearby. Are you up for some hunting?"

* * *

A twig snapped and Comet froze, looking around abashedly. Laurel looked at him, clearly exhausted – it was far from the first time he'd stepped on a branch. When she saw him frozen though, a smile tugged at her mouth.

"Oops. Sorry."

"Watch it, Comet," she whispered, "but it's alright."

They continued to creep along, Comet paying even more attention to the ground than before. In front of him, Laurel seemed to glide along the ground, nimbly dodging around branches, not even disturbing the leaves. Glancing behind him, Comet could make out each and every print he'd left behind. He had a long way to go before he would be hunting his own food.

He might not have been the greatest hunter, but he still enjoyed joining Laurel on her skirmishes. Learning about tracking prey and catching it, with Laurel's guidance, was so peaceful. It helped him to order his thoughts and unwind.

Comet saw a large rock ahead of him and breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't make loud noises on a rock. With a single bound, he closed the distance between himself and the rock, landing on top of it without a sound. Comet smiled to himself.

Laurel eyed him for a moment, joining him on the stone. "Smart move. Just be careful of your claws; scratching the rock would be as bad as snapping a twig.

Comet glanced at his feet. She had a point. "Lucky I didn't scratch the rock."

Laurel nodded. "I think it's time to head back for the day, don't you?"

"Do we have to head back already?" Comet pouted. "And it isn't really day…"

"I don't want to wander too far," she replied, ignoring his last comment.

"Alright."

They turned around, heading back through the dense trees. Now that they weren't worried about scaring off potential food, Comet took every opportunity to step on a twig, relishing the snap they made as he crushed them on the ground. It was trivial, but something about it put him at ease. Just hopping along, Laurel smiling fondly at him. Or, at least, he assumed she was.

"Comet." He stopped jumping at the sound of her voice, turning to face her. She pointed to a tree next to them. "Do you remember what I told you about this tree earlier?"

Comet thought for a moment, studying the tree closely as he tried to jog his memory. As they walked, Laurel had been telling him all about the different types of trees and plants – which healed and which poisoned – and about the animals – the animals you could hunt and the ones you should run from – but none of the information seemed to have stuck.

The tree was tall and narrow, branching off at the top into a tangle of leaves and vine-like branches. The tree was unique, different in every way from all the short, fat trees and tall mushrooms around it, and yet he couldn't remember what was so special about it. He turned to Laurel and shrugged, wilting slightly in shame.

Instead of being disappointed though, Laurel laughed. "It's alright, Comet," she said, "I couldn't possibly expect you to remember everything I told you. Maybe if I just told you one new thing on each trip from now on, it would be easier for you?"

Comet straightened up, lifting his head a little. He smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"Alright. So, your lesson for today can be this tree…"

Their walk resumed, Comet listening to Laurel as she told him about the tree. It amazed him that she knew so much and he wondered for a moment how she remembered everything she did. Years of practice, most likely.

Then, just as Laurel was nearing the end of her lesson, there was a deafening roar and Comet stopped, edging slowly back towards Laurel. He felt himself brush against what he assumed was her leg and they both jumped, barely keeping themselves from yelling out. The roar had set the mood, quickly changing their outing from a casual stroll to a dark nightmare. The lack of light suddenly felt oppressive instead of comforting as it had been earlier.

Laurel coughed. "Looks like we, uh… might have something to eat after all."

Comet smiled a little. It was a valiant effort at a joke. The roar came again and Laurel began to head in the direction of the noise. Comet balked at her. She hadn't been joking? He shook his head as he forced himself to follow.

 _This is madness, heading_ towards _the dangerous beast that probably wants to kill us!_

He wanted nothing more than to head back to their small hollow, but he didn't want to become separated from Laurel at the same time. If he got lost in the dark, dangerous swamp, alone… Comet shivered.

There was a snapping sound, a sound Comet was all too familiar with, and Laurel put her hand out, stopping him.

"Stay here," she whispered. Comet nodded; if he continued, he'd probably snap a branch and alert the monster.

As Laurel disappeared into the dense forest around him, Comet couldn't help but feel alone. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, glancing about warily.

 _What if she can't find me again? Or worse, what if she gets hurt? Then it will be all my fault for not being there!_ It was a small, nagging thought, but before he knew it, Comet was on his feet, creeping after Laurel. He wasn't going to lose her as well. He couldn't.

Comet caught movement ahead of him and made a beeline for it, dodging carefully around branches on the ground. He was surprised he hadn't stepped on one yet.

The trees around Comet began to thin and he slowed down, not wanting to step into the open. He saw laurel nearby, crouching in the bushes. She glanced at him, and though he couldn't tell her emotion, he was sure she would be angry. She'd told him to stay, he'd even agreed with her, and yet here he was. He had to be there though. He couldn't let Laurel go on her own. He was certain it was the right thing to do.

Ahead of him, a beast prowled back and forth, occasionally sniffing at the air and glancing in his general direction – every time it looked at him, Comet froze, sucking in a breath, afraid he would be noticed. It looked like a wolf, slightly larger than normal, but with legs so thin it surprised Comet they didn't snap under the weight of its body.

It began to edge closer to Comet, snuffling hungrily as it neared his hiding place. Comet crept back slowly, feeling the way with his hind paws.

 _It's spotted me!_

He saw movement to his right, saw a rock arcing through the air, dead on course for the wolf's eye. Comet started to breathe a sigh of relief when he took one last step back, a twig snapping under his paw.

Comet re-inhaled his sigh, his blood turning cold. The wolf arched its head, rising onto its hind legs and bellowing into the darkness. The rock sailed past harmlessly, skittering off into the bush. As the beast fell to all fours once more, it glanced curiously to where the rock had landed. It sniffed twice, then returned its attention to Comet. He gulped.

"Comet, run!" Laurel shrieked, running out from cover and waving her arms. The beast turned its attention to her, taking measured steps towards her and glancing around warily, as if it was afraid there were other cheetahs in hiding. Meanwhile, Comet fought the urge to do as Laurel said.

He couldn't leave her to fight the beast on her own. Hadn't that been his reason to follow in the first place?

 _And look where that got me…_

Comet huffed, kicking angrily at a bush next to him. He'd caused this mess and, suddenly, he didn't care if he only made matters worse. He had to at least try and right his wrong.

Unleashing a cry, Comet tore from the bushes, charging at the beast's turned back. He loosed a torrent of fire at it, leaping into the air amid his flames, claws in front of him. Comet barely noticed as the flames formed around him, coating his body in searing heat. He had to protect Laurel. He couldn't live with himself if… if… _No!_

Comet felt his claws sink into flesh, slicing through the wolf's left hind leg and continuing through. There was a howl, an eruption of fire. Comet felt himself hit the ground, taking the brunt of the impact with his shoulder and tumbling to a stop. There was a thud behind him.

Comet pulled himself up from the dirt, looking around.

The beast was on the ground behind him, blood pooling around it, spilling from a missing chunk of its hind leg. Laurel stood off to the side, glancing dumbfounded between him and the beast in a state of apparent shock.

"Comet… did you just-"

Comet answered before she could finish, smiling triumphantly. He'd done it! "Certainly did."

He could hardly believe it himself. It had all been a blur, breathing fire, diving at the beast, slashing at it, hitting the ground. It had gone by faster than he could blink.

"But… The fire. Are you alright?"

Comet glanced over himself confused. "I think I'm fine. Why? What about fire?

"The fire, it… swirled around you. It looked like you _were_ the fire, for a moment there."

Comet looked at her for a moment, his expression a perfect mimicry of her earlier reaction.

 _I… became the fire? Awesome!_ He grinned to himself. If he could become fire, he could do anything. He had to be the most powerful fire dragon ever.

If only he could ever find out…

Laurel shook her head, glancing around.

"It doesn't matter for now. We can discuss this later." She gave him a warm smile and Comet thought for a moment that she looked strangely motherly. "How about we cook up some of this wolf now and carry some home later. I don't know about you, but I'm tired and hungry; we've been hunting for a while now."

Comet nodded. "Sounds good to me."

As they prepared to cook their meal, Comet thought for a moment about his newfound ability. If he could become the fire… maybe he could cook the meal just by touching it!

Holding out a paw, Comet focused, imagining it bursting into flames and roasting the meat. When nothing happened, Comet groaned in frustration.

"Fire! Cook!" Still nothing. Comet pouted.

Laurel patted him on the shoulder and laughed. "Some things don't just happen Comet. Sometimes they need a reason to happen. Give it time. I'm sure you'll be catching fire again soon enough."

He was still disappointed but he nodded anyway. At least he could take comfort in the hope that this wasn't the last time he would use fire differently. One day, it would happen again.

* * *

Comet settled down on his bed of animal fur, curling up comfortably. His sore muscles began to relax and he sighed contentedly. Laurel patted him companionably as she passed, whispering goodnight before snuggling up on her own bed.

It had been a long day and Comet was exhausted. His eyes closed and he drifted into his dreams. At least, he thought they were dreams; they could have been nightmares.

Around him the swamp spanned out. Unlike when he was awake, Comet could easily see the animals prowling about, each one standing out as if lit in the light of a personal torch. They seemed to glow. Something about his surroundings left Comet feeling uneasy.

He wanted nothing more than to curl up where he was and block out the predators surrounding him, but it seemed his dreams had other ideas. The world rushed under him, seeming to move him from place to place instead of his legs. He saw the moon, a series of constellations he recognised, and knew he was heading north.

Comet broke through a thicket and a temple rose up before him, growing closer by the second. A balcony was beneath Comet and then he was falling, crashing onto the hard stone. He glanced behind him, taking in the view of the swamp. What was happening?

He looked away, looking past the flimsy arch before him and to a set of simple circular doors, a yellow orb embedded in their centre. He paced towards them and tried to push them open. They didn't budge.

Taking a couple of steps back, Comet rammed the door with his horns. A jolt ran down his spine and he fell back.

 _Ow!... Stupid doors._

He began to pace back and forth, grumbling to himself. He tried to force the doors open one more time but they still didn't move.

"Why'd you bring me here?" he shouted. There had to be a reason he was at the temple.

He glared at the doors. "Open!" As if to punctuate his words, Comet shot a blazing ball of fire at the yellow orb. The fire disappeared into the door without so much as marking it and Comet's eyes widened.

"Oh, come o-" The doors grinding open cut him off. He looked at them for a moment. "Huh…"

He walked through the doors chuckling.

 _Take_ that _doors. I win!_

Comet shook his head, looking around. Then he looked ahead, taking in a giant statue of a dragon.

"Wait a minute…" he said out loud. "Is that… Malefor? What's a statue of him doing here?"

A voice echoed from the walls, as if the temple itself had been listening to his every word, ready to answer at his call.

 _'_ _Come here, and maybe you can find out yourself.'_

"But I don't know where 'here' is."

The temple fell away and Comet found himself back at the entrance to his shared hollow with Laurel. He glanced backwards and was confronted with the disorienting feeling of seeing himself, asleep, curled up on the floor.

He felt a force tugging his vision forward.

 _'_ _That way,'_ the strange voice said.

Everything went black and Comet awoke, still lying on his small pelt. He knew where he had to go now.

Behind him, Laurel slept on. He wanted to wake her, start his venture now, not later. But he decided to wait. He would get to the temple eventually.

He had to know what secrets it held. He had to know why Malefor had a statue of himself there.

He needed answers.


End file.
